Popular social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch was strangulated to death in her rented house in Multan, police said on Saturday. "The 26-year-old, Qandeel, who was known for posting risque videos and statements on Facebook, was killed by her brother Waseem Azeem," City Police Officer Azhar Akram said. Qandeel's brother had been threatening her to stop posting photos and videos on Facebook. He fled the scene after killing Qandeel, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, according to police.
"Apparently it was an incident of honour killing," said a senior police officer in Multan. Forensic experts are examining the corpse to prepare a medical report. No marks of torture were found on Qandeel's body, said police. Her mother Noor Bibi said in her statement to police that Qandeel was in Multan to visit her parents as her father had been unwell. She spent Eid with her family. Her brother Waseem who had a Mobile shop, went to meet his parents at night. His parents were on rooftop while Qandeel was on ground floor. Before leaving the house, he strangled her to death.
City Police Officer Multan told that the suspect would be caught soon. A police team has been dispatched to Dera Ghazi Khan and Muzaffargarh in search of Waseem. Three weeks ago, Qandeel had written to the interior minister, the director general of the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA) and the SSP Islamabad asking them to provide security and also requested action against those who made her identification documents public via social media.