Brother Defends Killing Pakistani Social-Media Star 'For Honor'

The brother of a murdered Pakistani social-media star says he is not “embarrassed” to have killed her.

Pakistani police arrested the brother of social-media celebrity Qandeel Baloch on July 16 and accused him of murdering his sister.

Wassem Azeem has confessed to drugging and then strangling her “for honor.”

Speaking to journalist on July 17, Azeem said he had no regrets.

"It was around 10:45 p.m. when I gave her a tablet...and then killed her,” he said.

"I am not embarrassed at all over what I did," he added.

Baloch was killed on July 15 at her family's home near Sultan in southern Punjab. She was buried on July 17.

Baloch gained notoriety by appearing on the Pakistan Idol TV show and by conducting a social-media campaign in which she promoted women's rights in Pakistan's conservative society.

She had nearly 800,000 Facebook fans and 40,000 Twitter followers.

The killing of Baloch, who had recently stirred controversy by posting pictures of herself smoking with a prominent Muslim cleric, has caused outrage in Pakistan, where every year hundreds of women are killed by relatives who accuse them of violating religious norms.

The leading daily newspaper Dawn has expressed hope that Baloch's murder would spark a national round of soul-searching and finally lead to the end of Pakistan's "honor killing" phenomenon.

Based on reporting by AFP, AP and Reuters