Qandeel Baloch Honor Killing: Father Muhammad Azeem Vows For Revenge

It was just a couple of weeks ago when the said honor killing of Pakistani actress Qandeel Baloch happened at her own house. Because of this tragedy, her father Muhammad Azeem vowed to avenge his daughter.

Qandeel Baloch was at their home that night, Azeem told CNN. Everyone, including Azeem and his wife, were sound asleep when Qandeel’s brother broke in her room and strangled her to death.

Azeem tearfully narrates their end of the tragedy.

“It was 7 a.m. and my wife went upstairs to get tea. She said ‘Waseem, our son, was not there, and the front door was open.’ I told her he might have gone outside. Our breakfast was delayed because there was a gas shortage,” Azeem said, his voice filled with anguish.

“My wife went to our daughter’s room and started shouting ‘Qandeel! Qandeel!’ My son’s scarf was covering her face. My wife pulled the scarf back and saw Qandeel was dead.”

Azeem told CNN that they knew their son was upset with Qandeel. Qandeel had become a massive social media star in Pakistan after posting revealing pictures during her modelling gigs. Qandeel was proud of her work as she called herself a “modern day feminist.”

In Pakistan where conservative culture reigns, Qandeel’s acts were considered extremely scandalous. She even received threats for her acts.

Even in her interview with Dawn, Qandeel faced allegations of her alleged marriage and son. Qandeel did not deny the news, but she said that it was not her decision since her parents forced her to marry “an uneducated man” at such a young age. She said that she even tried to connect with her son, but she was not allowed to do so.

Qandeel also called out to the media and said that nobody wanted to put a light on her side of the story. She said that this noted husband in the forced marriage was “an animal.” She said she only stayed because of the child.

“The kind of torture he has inflicted on me, you can’t even imagine. Why? Because I was cute, I was young. He was older than me. He didn’t trust me. I don’t know why. I couldn’t connect with him on an intellectual level. Our ideas were very different,” she said.

Qandeel also confessed that the man tried to throw acid at her face because she was beautiful.

“And today the media isn’t giving me any credit for speaking about empowerment of women, girl power.”

As a father, Azeem was devastated. He knew that his son did not approve of Qandeel, but nobody thought he would push it too far. As for Waseem, Qandeel’s brother and murderer, he said he was proud of what he did.

That is really shocking #Qandeel_Baloch strangled to death by her brother No1 deserves this feeling sad for #Qandeel pic.twitter.com/xZLE0i3Lmk

— Katrina Kaif (@Real_KatrinaK) July 16, 2016

It was even reported that Azeem’s nephew collaborated in the crime.

Waseem Baloch also confessed that he drugged Qandeel first before killing her.

“I am proud of what I did… Girls are born to stay at home and follow traditions. My sister never did that.”

Though this might be the initial perception of her father, Azeem does not advocate for this crime.

“I shall not forgive,” he said. “It is my desire to take revenge.”

Azeem still could not comprehend how his son was able to do what he did.

“Why did he kill my daughter? There should be God’s wrath on him,” Azeem said.

In the wake of Qandeel’s death, he just hopes that his daughter and her efforts to reform the general Pakistani culture would not be forgotten.

“We are hopeful that the world will remember her — that Pakistan will remember her, like they do (former Prime Minister) Benazir Bhutto,” Azeem said. “She has left us with her stories. May God give her a place in heaven.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2a3NlgjJm24

[Image via Twitter]