A Muslim cleric has been arrested in connection with the murder of the woman who has come to be known as Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian.
Qandeel Baloch, 26, was allegedly strangled to death by her brother, Muhammad Waseem, in a suspected honour killing, after she posted racy pictures online.
Now a high-profile cleric, Mufti Abdul Qavi, has been arrested after his phone records showed he was in contact with Mr Waseem, following Mr Qavi himself being embroiled in a scandal involving Ms Baloch.
Mr Qavi was sacked from his position on a government committee after Ms Baloch released pictures with the cleric in his hotel room just weeks before her murder.
In the pictures she is seen wearing his hat while posing beside him. She accused the Muslim cleric of smoking cigarettes and drinking soft drinks with her during the month of Ramadan – when Muslims are supposed to be fasting.
She also accused him of “inappropriate behaviour” and called him a “blot on the name of Islam”.
“I thought I would expose him as he is in reality. He is a different person alone and different when he has his followers around him,” she told AFP.
The cleric has been accused of inciting her murder following the incident – something Mr Qavi has denied.
Miss Baloch was a polarising figure in Pakistan, a notoriously conservative country, and had tens of thousands of fans online.
Mr Qavi claimed their relationship stemmed from him trying to show her the “right path”.
Her brother has said he killed her for “bringing shame” on his family but has since pleaded not guilty.
The case has not yet gone to trial.
