The news of a high-profile murder in Pakistan swept a wave of angry publications throughout the world's media. We are talking about a local model, Qandeel Baloch, who was strangled by her brother, enraged by her explicit—by local cultural standards—photos of the girl on the Internet.

Medialeaks found out why Baloch died and what Pakistan is going to do about the so-called “honor killings”.

26-year-old Qandeel Baloch (real name Fauzia Azim) for recent months glorified Pakistan in a way that, perhaps, no one else has done for a long time. Moreover, in a positive way: the girl maintained several accounts in instagram , Facebook And twitter, where she posted candid—by Pakistani standards—photos, and also shared her thoughts on equal rights for women and men, including in the Islamic world.

We women must stand up for ourselves, stand up for each other, stand up for justice. I am a modern feminist, I believe in gender equality, I don’t have to choose what kind of woman to be. “I just love myself like this,” Baloch wrote on her Facebook.

Mostly in the comments positive reviews, words of support, agreement. There are almost 800 thousand subscribers on Facebook alone. Almost 50 thousand more are on Twitter.

All the more stunning was the news that Baloch was found murdered in her own home in Punjab province. And a couple of days later, her brother Vasim was detained on suspicion of murder, who immediately confessed to his crime, without showing the slightest remorse.

I'm proud to have done it. And I will always be remembered with pride for bringing honor back to my family. I've earned my place in heaven.

According to Wasim, he had been planning the murder of his sister for a long time and even discussed it with another brother, Kandil, who approved the “liquidation” of the girl. Immediately after the murder, both men fled the house.

Fatal selfie

At the preliminary trial, Wasim appeared happy and calm. He immediately admitted that he had been taking drugs for a long time, but added that this was not the reason for the murder.

Girls are born to stay at home and follow traditions. But my sister never did that.

Just as calmly, the killer revealed the details of the crime. According to him, he first gave the girl a certain “pill” (possibly opiates), and then waited for her to fall asleep.

The unconscious Qandil's brother sewed up her nostrils and mouth so that she could not breathe. And then he strangled him.

The evil irony is that the girl fled to Punjab from the port city of Karachi, where she lived with her family, due to threats. Baloch repeatedly contacted the police with a request to provide her with security, but to no avail.

Interestingly, the last straw for Baloch’s killer was not some particularly revealing selfie, but just a photo of a woman with Islamic preacher Abdul Qavi.

Qandeel recorded several short videos with Kavi, tried on his headdress in one of the photographs, and later even admitted that the mufti proposed to her during lunch.

Abdul Qavi was also brought in to investigate Baloch's murder. The preacher told reporters that the girl’s death “should be a lesson for everyone,” and added that he “forgives her.”

The Baloch family spoke out against the killer, although it usually happens in Pakistan that “honor killings” are approved by other relatives. In this case, the killer may even be released or given a minor punishment.

Baloch's father said that his daughter fed the whole family and the girl's murder was a real shock and tragedy for her entire family.

She was my son, not my daughter. I lost my son in it. She supported all of us, even her murderer brother.

Without condescension

Fans and supporters of Baloch have a good chance of getting retribution this time: the problem of “honor killings” was brought to the attention of Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif six months ago, who made a sharp statement on this matter.

There is no honor in an honor killing. Moreover, there is nothing more marginal than to first commit a brutal murder and then try to invoke concepts of honor.

In addition, the preliminary court ruled that the “right to forgiveness” mentioned above did not apply in Baloch’s specific case. So even if the family of the dead girl suddenly decides to forgive the murderer, Wasim, he will definitely not be released in the near future.

Also in the case is Baloch’s second brother, Aslam Shahin, the same one who approved the murder of his sister. The police are now looking for him.

Honor killings

Baloch’s story is just one of several thousands, albeit the loudest. Every year in Pakistan, according to human rights activists, about two thousand “honor killings” or, as they are called here, karo-kari, are committed.

Just the other day, local media discussed another such crime: in the same Punjab, police detained 21-year-old Sakib Masih for the murder of his 19-year-old sister.

A young man literally crushed a girl’s skull with a wooden stick because she wanted to marry the “wrong” candidate.

She wanted to marry him. And we - the family - did not give her consent to the marriage. We argued. And I hit her with a stick. I didn't want to kill her, she was my sister after all. I've been crying constantly ever since.

Probably, in this case, the killer will not receive leniency. Firstly, due to the special current media attention to all such deaths, and secondly, due to the fact that his father wrote a statement against the man.

It turns out that Baloch, to some extent, achieved what she wanted: she began to change the attitude towards “honor killings” not at the legislative level, but at the mental level of Pakistanis.

Last post

Qandeel Baloch was nicknamed “Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian” by the English-language media for her curvaceous figure and penchant for shocking behavior on social networks. However, the girl was far from being original: she didn’t post naked photos in the mirror, but by strict Pakistani standards, even those pictures that can be found on her Instagram are considered too revealing.

In addition, Baloch led an excessively public life for a typical Pakistani woman: she gave a lot of interviews, starred in videos, appeared on TV and radio, and constantly talked about equality and feminism.

Finally, the world's media will see what I came up with. How I tried to change the typical orthodox thinking of people who simply do not want to come out of their shells full of false beliefs and old habits -

Recently, the world media reported on the so-called honor killing - Pakistani model and blogger Qandeel Baloch was strangled by her brother, enraged by the bold photographs that she posted on social networks. Lenta.ru talks about aspects of the tragedy, its background and public reaction.

Inappropriate behavior

“Finally, the international media will be able to see what I'm up to. That I am trying to change the typical orthodox view of the world that is inherent in people who do not want to come out of their shells of false faith and outdated customs. Thank you to those who believe in me and support me for understanding the message I am trying to convey through my risqué posts and videos. It's time for change because the world is changing. Let's open our minds and live in the present.", is the latest post by 26-year-old Qandeel Baloch (real name Fauzia Azim) on Facebook. About 780 thousand people follow her account on the social network.

A Pakistani model was found dead in her home in Punjab province. The family moved there from Karachi due to threats. The girl was strangled by her brother Vasim. He admitted to his crime and said that he did not repent, because, in his opinion, his sister had disgraced the family by publishing pictures in open outfits and bikinis.

Baloch's followers on social networks were not only shocked, but also left bewildered. The girl has been considered a national celebrity since about 2014; the English-language media also wrote about her (they were even compared to the American TV star Kim Kardashian for her love of selfies and shocking behavior, as well as for her curvaceous figure). How come her brother had been hatching his criminal plans for so long? It turned out that Qandil did not live with her family, but on the evening of Friday, July 15, she came to visit.

According to the parents, Baloch's sister and brother had a big fight. But the father and mother discovered the body of their daughter only on Saturday morning. Qandil had another brother, a soldier, who approved of Wasim Azim’s intentions to kill his sister. After the model’s death became public knowledge, both brothers disappeared, but after some time Wasim was detained. He showed no signs of remorse.

“I gave her the pill and then I killed her. The way she behaved was unacceptable.", Azim said. The Punjab Police said that the girl's mouth and nose were sewn shut before her death, blocking the air supply to her respiratory tract.

It also became known that Baloch received numerous threats from fellow citizens after she published photographs and videos of her talking with the mufti.

The girl joked that during a joint dinner, the preacher proposed marriage to her. These posts offended the feelings of believers and spread on the Pakistani segment of the Internet. Kandil's parents said that their daughter asked law enforcement agencies for protection, but was refused.

The father of the murdered woman, Mohammed Azim, told reporters after the funeral that his daughter financially supported the entire family, including Wasim.

"Accidents"

The United Nations Population Fund estimates that up to five thousand honor killings are committed annually around the world. About 90 percent of them occur in countries of the Islamic world - in Eastern Turkey, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia and the Russian North Caucasus, including Chechnya. At least 500 annual deaths occur in Pakistan.

Honor killings are committed by male family members against female family members who they believe have brought dishonor on the family. However, women (mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, friends) can also take part in the reprisals.

Pakistani activists have been seeking for many years to tighten the law regulating the preventive measure for “honor killers.” Currently, those who have committed this crime either avoid prison time, or, which happens less frequently, imprisonment does not exceed two to three years. The court makes such a decision if the other relatives of the deceased forgive the killer (and this most often happens). Often, the cause of a woman's death is initially listed as suicide or accident.

In February 2016, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised that the Penal Code would be revised, but no action was taken.

Karo-kari, as honor killing is called in Pakistan, is most often committed with firearms; bladed weapons are also used, and strangulation and burning are resorted to.

The reasons for reprisals are sometimes completely insignificant, in the opinion of a Western person, reasons. It is not necessary to take a selfie in a dress with a low neckline or to cheat on your legal spouse - it is quite enough for one of your loved ones or “well-wishers” to think that the woman is capable of something similar.

For example, in Kashmir, parents burned with sulfuric acid a 15-year-old daughter who turned around after a male motorcyclist. Two men from central Pakistan burned a woman, the wife of one and the daughter-in-law of another, because she left home without her husband's permission. Another “loving” brother beat his sister to death because he disagreed with her choice of future husband. Another Pakistani woman was put on fire for refusing to marry the man chosen by her family.

Liberal-minded Pakistani men and women believe that it is important to change not only the law, but also the very attitude of society towards honor killings. A significant portion of the country's citizens approve of family violence. This was clearly demonstrated by the death of Baloch: murder famous woman split Pakistani society into two parts, leaving no one indifferent. Discussing karo-kari on social networks, conservatives agreed that the woman “asked for it,” while the most radically minded users praised the killer.

She's not a Kardashian

Qandeel's supporters don't like her comparison to the Kardashians. In their opinion, unlike the American TV heroine, she was first and foremost an activist for women’s rights, and only then a popular blogger and media personality.

Models sympathetic to the fate emphasize that Baloch's lifestyle is absolutely irrelevant, since a similar fate befell the much more modest inhabitants of the country, brought up in accordance with traditions. Pakistani liberals hope that at least the perpetrator will not get away with this honor killing, since it has thundered throughout the world.

“Qandeel has become the face of countless unknown Pakistani women who were killed because society gave carte blanche to men,” says Benazir Jatoi, an activist with the Aurat Foundation, a local women's rights organization.

Famous model and blogger Qandeel Baloch, who was compared to American TV star Kim Kardashian, was strangled to death in the Punjab province of Pakistan.

She was killed by her own brother - apparently, it was a so-called "honor killing".

Police said the killer has not been arrested and is on the run.

26-year-old Baloch became famous for publishing scandalous posts on social networks and photographs in revealing outfits by the standards of conservative Pakistan.

She recently posted photos from her meeting with a Muslim preacher at a hotel, saying he proposed to her during lunch. This drew harsh criticism from some users. The preacher was suspended from work, and Baloch began to receive threats.

According to the victim's relatives, her brother asked Baloch to quit her modeling career. He was also worried about the threats that were made against his sister.

Baloch gained widespread fame in Pakistan in 2014 after one of her videos went viral.

For many Pakistani girls, Baloch was a cultural icon, respected for her liberal views. At the same time, she was often attacked on the Internet.

“Honor killings,” carried out by relatives to “bring dishonor to the family,” remain common practice in Pakistan, killing hundreds of women every year.

Tags: Pakistan, murder, Kim Kardashian

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About the so-called honor killing - Pakistani model and blogger Qandeel Baloch was strangled by her brother, enraged by the bold pictures that she posted on social networks. Lenta.ru talks about aspects of the tragedy, its background and public reaction.

Inappropriate behavior

“Finally, the international media will be able to see what I'm up to. That I am trying to change the typical orthodox view of the world that is inherent in people who do not want to come out of their shells of false faith and outdated customs. Thank you - those who believe in me and support me, for understanding the message that I am trying to convey through my risky posts and videos. It's time for change because the world is changing. Let's open our minds and live in the present,” is the latest post by 26-year-old Qandeel Baloch (real name Fauzia Azim), in Facebook. About 780 thousand people follow her account on the social network.

A Pakistani model was found dead in her home in Punjab province. The family moved there from Karachi due to threats. The girl was strangled by her brother Vasim. He admitted to his crime and said that he did not repent, because, in his opinion, his sister had disgraced the family by publishing pictures in open outfits and bikinis.

Baloch's followers on social networks were not only shocked, but also left bewildered. The girl has been considered a national celebrity since about 2014; the English-language media also wrote about her (they were even compared to the American TV star Kim Kardashian for her love of selfies and shocking behavior, as well as for her curvaceous figure). How come her brother had been hatching his criminal plans for so long? It turned out that Qandil did not live with her family, but on the evening of Friday, July 15, she came to visit.

#qandeelbaloch #lotoflove #mwah #loveu #lovemyfans

According to the parents, Baloch's sister and brother had a big fight. But the father and mother discovered the body of their daughter only on Saturday morning. Qandil had another brother, a soldier, who approved of Wasim Azim's intentions to kill his sister. After the model’s death became public knowledge, both brothers disappeared, but after some time Wasim was detained. He showed no signs of remorse.

Meri marzi... lol #qandeelbaloch #karachi #pakistan #socialmediasensation

“I gave her the pill and then I killed her. The way she behaved was unacceptable,” Azim said. The Punjab Police said that the girl's mouth and nose were sewn shut before her death, blocking the air supply to her respiratory tract.

It also became known that Baloch received numerous threats from fellow citizens after she published photographs and videos of her talking with the mufti.

The girl joked that during a joint dinner, the preacher proposed marriage to her. These posts offended the feelings of believers and spread on the Pakistani segment of the Internet. Kandil's parents said that their daughter asked law enforcement agencies for protection, but was refused.

The father of the murdered woman, Mohammed Azim, told reporters after the funeral that his daughter financially supported the entire family, including Wasim.

"Accidents"

The United Nations Population Fund estimates that up to five thousand honor killings are committed annually around the world. About 90 percent of them occur in countries of the Islamic world - in Eastern Turkey, the Palestinian territories, Jordan, Pakistan, Somalia and the Russian North Caucasus, including Chechnya. At least 500 annual deaths occur in Pakistan.

Honor killings are committed by male family members against female family members who they believe have brought dishonor on the family. However, women (mothers, mothers-in-law, sisters, friends) can also take part in the reprisals.

Pakistani activists have been seeking for many years to tighten the law regulating the preventive measure for “honor killers.” Currently, those who have committed this crime either avoid prison time, or, which happens less frequently, imprisonment does not exceed two to three years. The court makes such a decision if the other relatives of the deceased forgive the killer (and this most often happens). Often, the cause of a woman's death is initially listed as suicide or accident.

In February 2016, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif promised that the penal code would be revised, but no action was taken.

Karo-kari - as honor killing is called in Pakistan - is most often committed with firearms, they also use bladed weapons, resort to strangulation and burning.

The reasons for reprisals are sometimes completely insignificant, in the opinion of a Western person, reasons. It is not necessary to take a selfie in a dress with a low neckline or to cheat on your legal spouse - it is quite enough for one of your loved ones or “well-wishers” to think that the woman is capable of something similar.

For example, in Kashmir, parents burned with sulfuric acid a 15-year-old daughter who turned around after a male motorcyclist. Two men from central Pakistan burned a woman, one's wife and the other's daughter-in-law, because she left home without her husband's permission. Another “loving” brother to the death of his sister because of disagreement with her choice of future husband. Another Pakistani woman is on fire for refusing to marry the man chosen by her family.

Liberal-minded Pakistani men and women believe that it is important to change not only the law, but also the very attitude of society towards honor killings. A significant portion of the country's citizens approve of family violence. This was clearly demonstrated by the death of Baloch: the murder of a famous woman split Pakistani society into two parts, leaving no one indifferent. Discussing karo-kari on social networks, conservatives agreed that the woman “asked for it,” while the most radically minded users praised the killer.

She's not a Kardashian

Qandeel's supporters don't like her comparison to the Kardashians. In their opinion, unlike the American TV heroine, she was first and foremost an activist for women’s rights, and only then a popular blogger and media personality.