MULTAN – Mufti Abdul Qavi who waded through controversies ever since his pictures with social media star (late) Qandeel Baloch went viral over the internet termed Qandeel and all other honour-killing victims ‘martyrs’ on Wednesday.

The stance of the religious cleric came a year after the social media star hailing from Multan was killed by her own brother for honour.

“Taking someone’s life in the name of honour is illegal and not permitted in Islam,” said Mufti Qavi while addressing journalists in Multan.

The cleric claimed that he was writing a journal on honour killings quoting references from the Holy Quran and the sayings of the Holy Prophet (PBUH) against the appalling custom.

Qavi said police investigating Baloch’s death had contacted him in the past few days for further interrogation.

“Earlier I was interrogated for three hours and all of that was recorded on video,” he added.

“They want to declare me Qandeel Baloch’s killer in their hatred against Islam,” he claimed and added: “The international media are trying to establish me as her killer.

He further said 19 foreign publications interviewed him after Baloch’s murder.

Rubbishing BBC News Reporter’s allegations

Mufti Qavi rubbished the allegations hurled by a female reporter of BBC news and expressed that the lady reported fake news on the death anniversary of Qandeel Baloch “which was nothing but propaganda and a conspiracy against me.”

“I haven’t killed her and have already declared that killing an innocent person in the name of honour killing is illegitimate in Islam,” he affirmed.

Contacts with Qandeel’s Brother

Mufti Qavi who was lampooned for his alleged role in the killing of Fouzia-turned Qandeel maintained that he was not in contact with Baloch’s brother who had confessed to drugging and strangling Qandeel for risque social media activity.

“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 added.

Qavi lamented that a lawyer was dragging him into the case but claimed that “lawyers and the laws in Pakistan, all are with me.”