Taken away: Vigil held for Qandeel Baloch

Scores of fans and sympathisers lit candles and chanted slogans at Liberty Chowk

LAHORE: Scores of sympathisers and activists gathered at Liberty Chowk on Saturday to light candles in memory of model Qandeel Baloch, who was killed allegedly by her brother in Multan earlier in the day.

They carried placards bearing messages like, “There is no Honour in Killing” and “Down with patriarchy”. They chanted slogans against the murder.

The vigil was organised by That Feminist Collective and Girls at Dhabas.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Mehar Bano, a member of Girls at Dhabas, said, “Baloch was a bold girl. She challenged patriarchal notions of feminine behaviour. She became controversial because she refused to conform.”

Bano said her death was a tragedy. “It is not just her brother who was responsible for her murder.

The society is complicit in this. She was demonised and abused. She faced it bravely.”  She said Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority should take action against TV channels and their anchors who had leaked details of her private life without her consent. “Everything about Qandeel was made controversial,” she said.

Anees Khan, who introduced herself as a housewife, said that she was shocked when she heard about Baloch’s killing.

“Her murder is a matter of grave concern for every Pakistani woman. Pick up any magazine or newspaper and you will find women dressed the same way Qandeel presented herself. Yet her actions were deemed indecent and inappropriate,” she said.

Nabeeha Mehar Sheikh of Women Action Forum said “Every one of us is complicit in her murder.”

She said that media people should take responsibility for their role in her murder.

“What will happen if women started killing men for honour?” she said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 17^th, 2016.