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Brother has ‘no regrets’ for killing selfie star

Qandeel Baloch, whose real name is Fauzia Azeem, was strangled in her family home

Qandeel Baloch, whose real name is Fauzia Azeem, was strangled in her family home

THE brother of a Pakistani woman who challenged social norms with racy posts on social media has admitted strangling her in the family home.

Muhammad Waseem said he gave Qandeel Baloch, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, a “tablet” to subdue her before killing her at the weekend.

“She wasn’t aware I was killing her,” he told journalists at a news conference arranged by police.

“I have no regrets,” he added, criticising her social media posts for bringing “dishonour to the Baloch name”.

Ms Baloch became famous In Pakistan in 2014 after a video of her pouting at the camera and asking “How em looking?” went viral.

In March, she made headlines by offering to strip for the Pakistan cricket team if they beat India in a World T20 match.

It was also reported that she would be appearing in the next series of Big Boss, India’s version of Big Brother, and in recent days she had appeared twerking in a music video with singer Aryan Khan.

Many people hailed her scantily-clad selfies but she was also subjected to abuse online as she defied traditional conservative values.

Qandeel Baloch's brother Waseem is escorted by police

Qandeel Baloch’s brother Waseem is escorted by police

She caused further offence when she posted a video of herself with Mufti Qavi, a Muslim cleric, and claimed they smoked cigarettes and drunk soft drinks during daylight hours in Ramadan, when practicing Muslims fast.

Mufti Qavi was removed the committee that decides when Ramadan starts and ends by the government following the allegations.

Multan police chief Akram Azhar said authorities would seek the “maximum punishment” the killing.

Murder carries a potential death sentence and if he is specifically charged with an honour killing charge he will be ineligible for a family pardon.

More than 500 people are killed in Pakistan each year in so-called “honour killings”, usually carried out by members of
the victim’s family.

Local media reported that Ms Baloch had received frequent threats and had spoken of leaving the country because she feared for her own safety.

Earlier this month, she said on Facebook that she was “trying to change the typical orthodox mindset of people who don’t wanna come out of their shells of false beliefs and old practices”. news.sky.com

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