DHAKA: Popular social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch has been killed in Multan, becoming the latest victim in the spate of ‘honor killings’ that plague the country.

Qandeel, 26, who is popular for posting bold videos and statements on Facebook, was killed by her brother, Regional Police Officer Azam Sultan said on Saturday, reports dawn.com.

Qandeel’s brother had been threatening her over her Facebook posts and videos, said the police. The brother fled after killing Qandeel, whose real name is Fauzia Azeem.

Police added that Qandeel was in Multan for one week, and that forensic experts are examining the corpse to prepare a medical report. No one except her family knew about Qandeel’s presence in Multan.

Earlier, TV channels reported that Qandeel was shot by her brother. Police are now saying she was ‘strangled to death’ at her Multan residence.

Baloch, who became famous through her tireless self-promotion and suggestive ‘selfies’ posted on social media, had amassed tens of thousands of followers.

‘Nothing is good in this society. This patriarchal society is bad,’ Qandeel had said in a recent interview with Images.

Three weeks ago, Qandeel had written to the interior minister, the director general of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) and the senior superintendent of Islamabad asking them to provide security to her and has requested action against those who made her identification documents public via social media.

She had said her life is in danger and that she is being threatened via calls on her mobile number and that she did not have security measures installed in her home.

She wrote, ‘I need security from you’.

Baloch is derided and feted in equal measure in Pakistan, but the popularity of her videos evidence frustrations of many young people tired of being told how to behave — her videos have been viewed thousands of times.

She shot to fame in Pakistan in 2014.

BDST: 1405 HRS, JUL 16, 2016
RR