Qandeel Baloch murder case: key accused released from jail

The key accused who murdered his celebrity sister Qandeel Baloch was freed on Saturday after a court ruled it was not an "honour killing", allowing their mother to pardon him, lawyers said.

Qandeel was strangled to death in 2016 by her brother Muhammad Waseem, who described her behaviour on social media as "intolerable".

After less than six years in prison, an appeal judge ruled that Baloch´s murder could not be defined as a crime of honour, dismissing his confession.

"Waseem has been released from the prison in compliance with the order of honorable Lahore High Court," his lawyer Sardar Mehboob told AFP.

"He is a free man now," he added.

Waseem, 38, was released from jail in Multan after being acquitted on Monday.

Waseem was arrested immediately after her death and later sentenced to life in prison for strangling her -- brazenly telling the media he had no remorse.

A lawyer for the mother said she had given "her consent" to pardon him, according to her lawyer Safdar Shah on Monday. (AFP)