MULTAN – A judicial magistrate issued non-bailable arrest warrants against Mufti Abdul Qavi in the Qandeel Baloch murder case that has been languishing in courts from 15 months.

Mohammad Pervez issued the warrants on Thursday at the request of investigation officer Noor Akbar on the grounds that the cleric was not cooperating with the police.

The investigation officer, Akbar was ‘dismissed’ by Multan City Police Officer Chaudhry Muhammad Saleem on Tuesday for not submitting the final charge-sheet in the case despite a lapse of 15 months.

The court had repeatedly ordered Akber to submit a charge-sheet so that the case could proceed further.

Akber had asked for an extension for investigation, following which the court had also issued orders for withholding the investigation officer’s salary.

Qavi said he is always present in his seminary and was available for any cooperation.

“I have obtained interim bail and therefore cannot be arrested,” claimed Mufti Qavi.

Qandeel Baloch’s Murder

Qandeel Baloch became a social media star in Pakistan after her risque posts on social media garnered attention.

The celebrity, hailing from Multan, uploaded pictures alongside Mufti Abdul Qavi as she met him at a hotel.

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/mufti-qavi-terms-qandeel-baloch-other-honour-killing-victims-martyrs/

Qavi was lampooned after the pictures stormed the internet but a few days later Qandeel Baloch was strangled to death by her brother for ‘honour’.

Mufti Abdul Qavi denied any sort of involvement in the murder, however, the cleric is under the radar of police ever since Baloch’s murder.

In July, the Multan-based scholar had alleged that a lawyer was dragging him into the case but claimed that “lawyers and the laws in Pakistan, all are with me.”

“My name is not in the FIR registered for Qandeel’s murder, but I will present myself to the police whenever they call me for more information,” he had said.