Qandeel said her time to rise had come, recalls mother

The parents of Qandeel Baloch said the social media star had been hopeful that her time to rise as a celebrity had come. She wanted to show the world what marvels a girl from a less privileged strata of society could achieve, they said.

The 26-year-old, popular for posting risque videos and statements on Facebook, was strangled to death by her brother. He was arrested by police in Dera Ghazi Khan and confessed to killing his sister in the name of 'honour'.

Talking to BBC Urdu, Qandeel’s parents said they used to live in a village near Dera Ismail Khan where Qandeel’s father had an accident in which he lost a leg, after which Qandeel brought them to Multan for treatment.

Now, Qandeel’s father says he goes daily to the police station seeking justice for his murdered daughter.

“When she [Qandeel] used to send money, they all [her brothers] used to run to us to take their share,” said her father.

Qandeel's celebrity life was marred with controversies but her family life was a tale of struggle and battling the odds at every step under social and family pressure.

"Qandeel came to Multan to celebrate Eid with her parents, and the brother who killed her came to stay at home for some reason," her parents said.

Qandeel’s father said that he and his wife were drugged by the brother and were asleep when the murder took place.

“She must have called out to us for help...but we couldn't,” said Qandeel's father.

“I say shoot my son on sight. He suffocated my little one,” he added when asked if he could ever forgive his son for the crime.

When asked about his relationship with Qandeel, her father said Qandeel was his best friend and son.

“She was the best son of all sons.”

Who was Qandeel Baloch?

Qandeel, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, was born in March 1990, according to a copy of her passport.

She shot to fame in 2014 through her tireless self-promotion and suggestive "selfies" posted on social media, and had amassed tens of thousands of followers.

"Nothing is good in this society. This patriarchal society is bad," Qandeel had said in a recent interview with Images.

In one of her last Facebook posts, Qandeel reiterated her unapologetic approach: "No matter how many times I will be pushed down under... I am a fighter, I will bounce back."

"Qandeel Baloch [is an] inspiration to ladies who are treated badly... I know you will keep on hating, who cares?" wrote Qandeel, who often referred to herself as a "one-woman army".

She was derided and feted in equal measure in Pakistan, but the popularity of her videos evidence frustrations of many young people tired of being told how to behave.

At a press conference on June 28 in Lahore, Qandeel had said she had been receiving threats from unknown people and demanded security. She said she had also written to the interior ministry, informing it about the threats.

Earlier this month, Qandeel released a music video which she starred in alongside little known young singer Aryan Khan. Titled 'Ban,' the music video touched on Qandeel's status as a controversial social media icon, and was provocative given Pakistan's conservative standards for entertainment.

Recently, a man from Kot Adu claimed that Qandeel was his wife and they had a son. Qandeel confirmed his claims, saying she was forced into the marriage.