Qandeel Baloch - Strangled for Being Attractive

Fouzia Azeem better known by the name Qandeel Baloch was a Pakistani model, actress, and feminist, activist and social media celebrity. Baloch rose to prominence due to her videos on social networks discussing her daily routine and various controversial issues. She was famous for her sensational videos on social media. Baloch first received recognition from the media in 2013, when she auditioned for Pakistan Idol; her audition went viral and she became an Internet celebrity. She was one of the top 10 most searched for persons on the internet in Pakistan and both celebrated and criticized for the content of her videos and posts. In many ways, Qandeel Baloch reminded me of Amy Winehouse, the troubled young singer also with a failed marriage who died tragically five years ago when she was just 27. Qandeel’s brother allegedly strangled the 26-year-old actor-crooner-activist. Her daring appearances on social media insulted the family honor. Qandeel was staging a fight for her version of azadi.Baloch's fame was based on her social media posts – pictures, videos and comments. These were considered bold by the largely conservative Pakistani community. Some international news media compared her to Kim Kardashian; however, local commentators stated that she was more significant than Kardashian, as Baloch "went against the norms of society" and lived life on her own terms. In June 2016, Baloch met senior cleric Mufti Abdul Qawi in a hotel room to learn more about her faith; the interaction between them brought about mayhem on social media platforms as their photos went viral online. She also wore a hat with the Mufti's signature the meeting led to the Mufti being suspended from his position on one of Pakistan's religious committees.Qandeel Baloch wasn’t unintelligent. With all my “intelligence”, I could never get three-quarters of a million people to follow me on Facebook as she did. It couldn’t have been her looks alone for she wasn't the only good-looking person out there. Qandeel shot to new heights of infamy when she announced her intention to perform a strip dance for Pakistan cricket captain Shahid Afridi if he succeeded in leading his team to victory on the T20 match against India. She even launched a "trailer" of her performance before the match, promising "[a full] film" upon Pakistan's victory. The video appeared to be the tipping point for Facebook users in Pakistan. Many, many people seem to have reported her page for nudity, resulting in a temporary block on her page. “She must be arrested for spreading vulgarity," insisted one Facebook user. Qandeel feigned hurt upon her return: “Aaj se no video. Get lost tharki awam (I won't post videos on Facebook anymore. Get lost, you perverts)," she said in a message.
On 15 July 2016, Baloch was drugged and then asphyxiated by her brother Waseem while she was asleep at her parents' home in Multan. Her death was reported by her father Azeem. By the time her body was found she had already been dead for fifteen to thirty six hours. Marks on Baloch's body revealed that her mouth and nose were pinned shut to asphyxiate her. Police called the murder an honor killing. Her father told the press "my daughter was brave and I will not forget or forgive her brutal murder.Baloch's murder was widely condemned by media celebrities and people around the globe, while some in Pakistan were more inclined to support her murder. Personalities such as Imran Khan, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sharmila Farooqi, Reham Khan, Sanam Baloch, Osman Khalid Butt, Meesha Shafi, Nadia Husain, Ali Zafar, along with many others condemned the incident, including filmmaker and activist Sharman Obaid-Chinoy who said, "I really feel that no woman is safe in this country, until we start making examples of people, until we start sending men who kill women to jail, unless we literally say there will be no more killing and those who dare will spend the rest of their lives behind bars. “She further said, "There is not a single day where you don't pick up a paper and see a woman hasn't been killed ... this is an epidemic. British Prime Minister Theresa May also condemned the murder saying "there is absolutely no honor in so-called honor killings and they should be referred to as acts of terror. “May also said it was 'criminal' for women to be murdered by their male relatives on the grounds of defending family 'honor'