Pakistani viral star Qandeel Baloch murdered by brother in 'honor killing,' police say

Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch has been murdered in what local media is reporting is an “honor killing.”

Baloch’s brother, Waseem, was arrested on Saturday night, according to BBC News. He reportedly drugged and strangled Baloch.

Baloch was allegedly strangled to death by her brother. Her parents told the Express Times that the two had a fight Friday night in Punjab. She had traveled from Karachi to Punjab due to security concerns after she posted a selfie with a Muslim cleric.

“I admit it. I have unduly used the freedom my parents gave me,” she told the BBC in an interview last week. “But it’s too late to go back. I am beyond their control.”

Baloch is famous for subverting Muslim cultural norms in traditional Pakistan. In a Facebook post on July 14, she wrote “I believe I am a modern day feminist.”

Baloch first rose to fame in 2014 with a video called “How em looking?” where she posed with selfies. In her videos, she spoke openly about her sexuality, a taboo topic in Pakistan. The BBC referred to her as Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian. In an interview with the BBC last week, she said she was regularly sent death threats due to her posts.

“I don’t think there’s anyone else like her in Pakistan right now,” said musician Masterjee Bumbu to the BBC last week. “She’s a bit of a cultural icon in an age where we’re running out her very quickly.”

Baloch, frequently a trending topic in Pakistan, was trending again Saturday after her death.