So Qandeel Baloch’s murderer, who was also known in another life as her brother, has been given a life sentence for strangling her to death.
This sentence has been a long time brewing. There was evidence that he did it. There were other suspects. But the warped system that the Pakistani criminal courts are, it took three years with ample evidence to incriminate her brother.
Qandeel was 26 years old. I know what you’re wondering. What crime did a 26 year old woman commit that her brother had to kill her? How was she being a threat to this society that she had to be murdered by a family member when she least expected it? How is that fair to another human being? Why does a brother have to carry this baggage for the rest of his life?
Qandeel’s crime: she breathed when she liked. She made YouTube videos when she liked. She talked about the relevance of feminism. She didn’t think her body should be covered so she didn’t shroud herself constantly. She had a love for herself which scared men. We are scared by confident women. We can’t stand them. They seem dangerous to us.
But more than anything, any Pakistani woman’s crime on any given day is the simple fact that she chose to breathe in her own air. And then we protest against Women’s March. How Pakistani women can protest against female empowerment is beyond me. They need empowerment so badly. Can’t they see it?
“I will fight for right. I will not give up. I will reach my goal and absolutely nothing will stop me.” Qandeel Baloch
My mind as a woman 