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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
World
Bonnie Christian

Qandeel Baloch: Brother of Pakistani social media star jailed for life for her murder

Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother who has been sentenced to life in prison. (Picture: AP)

The brother of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch has been jailed for life for her murder.

Ms Baloch, 26, was strangled in July 2016, sparking a change in laws and igniting fierce debate over the prevalence of so-called honour killings of women.

A Multan court found her brother Muhammad Waseem guilty of her murder.

"Waseem has been given life in prison," his lawyer Sardar Mehboob said.

He added that an appeal would be filed against the verdict.

Honour killing: Waseem Azeem, right, after his arrest (Getty)

Six other people, including two of Ms Baloch's other brothers and religious scholar, Mufti Abdul Qavi, have been acquitted.

Waseem admitted in a 2016 media conference organised by police that he strangled his sister due to her social media activities, saying he brought shame on his family, but later changed his plea.

Ms Baloch was Pakistan’s first social media star and spoke of trying to change “the typical orthodox mindset” in the country.

She faced frequent misogynist abuse and death threats.

Qandeel Baloch was dubbed the Kim Kardashian of Pakistan.(Qandeel Baloch/Facebook/via Reuters)

Ms Baloch, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, was often dubbed Pakistan's Kim Kardashian and had built a modelling career on the back of her social media fame.

She posted images and videos of herself twerking and singing, breaking strict taboos in socially conservative Pakistan.

Her killing sent shockwaves across Pakistan and triggered an outpouring of grief on social media.

It also prompted the government to tighten laws to ensure that killers could not walk free if family members forgave them.

About 500 women are killed each year in Pakistan at the hands of family members over perceived damage to "honour" that can involve eloping, fraternising with men or any other infraction against conservative values that govern women's modesty.

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