Asia | Crimes against women

Can the licence to kill be revoked?

“Honour killings” can be stopped only by scrapping religiously inspired laws

|ISLAMABAD

FEW Pakistanis have broken taboos as gleefully as Qandeel Baloch, a social-media star who used the internet to titillate and scandalise her fellow citizens. The 26-year-old (pictured with her iPhone), whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, twerked on camera, posted suggestive selfies and mocked the mullahs who police the social boundaries of a Muslim-majority nation that has become more religiously conservative over the years. It was too much for many, including her brother, who strangled Ms Baloch after drugging her to sleep. Waseem Azeem proudly admitted his crime: “She was bringing disrepute to our family’s honour.” He has been arrested on suspicion of murder. Ms Baloch’s funeral (pictured) was held on July 17th.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Can the licence to kill be revoked?”

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