Pakistani court charges Baloch brother with murder in honor killing
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 7 December 2016 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Pakistani court charges Baloch brother with murder in honor killing, 7 December 2016, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/5975a3054.html [accessed 27 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
December 07, 2016
An Instagram portrait of Qandeel Baloch, who Pakistani authorities say was murdered by her brother in an "honor killing."
A Pakistani court on December 6 charged the brother of a slain social media star and two accomplices with her murder, and moved toward trial in the high-profile "honor killing."
Qandeel Baloch, who was famed for her provocative selfies, was strangled in July by her brother Muhammad Waseem. He said she had brought shame on the family and confessed to his crime in a press conference after his arrest.
While she was demeaned by detractors, her fans praised her courage for challenging social norms with videos that appeared tame by Western standards.
Waseem appeared before a Multan court on December 5 along with his cousin Haq Nawaz, who police say is an accomplice. A second indicted accomplice, taxi driver Abdul Basit, is out on bail.
Pakistani officials said the court indicted all three men and set a hearing for December 8.
Some of Baloch's controversial acts included offering to perform a striptease for the Pakistani cricket team, and donning a plunging scarlet dress on Valentine's Day.
Waseem has said he is not remorseful over what he did, calling his sister's behavior "intolerable."
Based on reporting by AFP and Radio Mashaal
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
