Pakistani social media star murdered in 'honour killing,' police say
Qandeel Baloch, whose racy social media posts challenged country's norms, allegedly strangled by brother
Qandeel Baloch, a social media star whose exploits divided opinion in conservative Pakistan, was strangled, allegedly by her brother, in what appears to be a so-called "honour killing," police and her family said on Saturday.
Baloch's racy social media photos challenged social norms in Pakistan, a deeply traditional Muslim country where women are often repressed by their family or the community. Her killing shocked the South Asian country.
Baloch received multiple death threats and suffered frequent misogynist abuse, but continued posting provocative pictures and videos.
In Facebook posts, she spoke of trying to change "the typical orthodox mindset" of people in Pakistan.
Punjab Police spokeswoman Nabeela Ghazanfar told Reuters Baloch, whose real name is Fauzia Azeem, was killed on Friday night in her family home on the outskirts of Multan, a large city in Punjab province.
Killed in family home
Baloch's body was discovered on Saturday and her father Muhammad Azeem told the police that his son Waseem had strangled her, Ghazanfar said.
"Apparently, it is an honour killing, but further investigations will reveal the real motives behind this murder," Ghazanfar said.
"Honour killings" are normally murders committed because of patriarchal concepts of honour and shame. They're considered gender-based crimes, since girls and women are usually the victims.
Baloch's father told local media his son Waseem had stayed overnight at the family home and quarrelled with Baloch over money issues and her risqué photos.
"He had serious reservations regarding her pictures being circulated on social media," Muhammad Azeem told reporters in Multan. "He escaped after strangling Qandeel."
Police said they were looking for Waseem, who had disappeared.
Baloch worried about own safety
Baloch had struggled to reconcile her family's conservative values with her social media stunts, including a selfie with a famous Muslim cleric that led to widespread condemnation from powerful religious figures.
In the days before her death, she had told local media she was concerned about her safety.
Baloch's death sparked an outpouring of grief on Twitter and other social media websites and reignited a debate about gender-based crimes in Pakistan.
Sickened by another "honor killing" in Pakistan. This isn't Islam. This isn't even culture. This is pure barbarian behavior. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandeelBaloch?src=hash">#QandeelBaloch</a>
—@kr156Treating women with elegance, respect and love is honourable. Killing women for your honour is plain cowardice. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QandeelBaloch?src=hash">#QandeelBaloch</a>
—@ZaviaarKhanMore than 500 people — almost all women — die in Pakistan each year in such killings, usually carried out by members of the victim's family meting out punishment for bringing "shame" on the community.
Posts challenged societal norms
Baloch is described as Pakistan's Kim Kardashian and had built a modelling career on the back of her social media fame.
She recently also appeared in a music video, gyrating bare legged to an Urdu-language song in high-heels and a see-through top.
Earlier this year Baloch offered to strip if the wildly popular Pakistani cricket team beat arch-rival India. When they lost, she berated the Pakistani cricketers and posted a video in which she danced for the Indian team wearing a bikini.
Though popular with many liberals, Baloch often struggled with the frequent abuse aimed at her.
In one Facebook post this month, she thanked her supporters for "understanding the message I try to convey through my bold posts and videos".
She added: "It's time to bring a change because the world is changing."