They called her a ‘prostitute,’ and every conceivable thing after Qandeel Baloch became an internet sensation. The army of trolls whom she aptly described as the ‘Tharkis’ however, could never get away from her; Qandeel Baloch was refreshingly bold in an otherwise closed society.
The Tharkis kept coming back in swarms to dish out dirt on Qandeel Baloch while she lived while she kept exposing the hypocrisy of Pakistan. In this, she won over many fans who saw in her a brave woman.
Qandeel Baloch herself knew what she was doing:
Atleast international media can see what i am upto. How i am trying to change the typical orthodox mindset of people who don’t wanna come out of their shells of false beliefs and old practices.
Here this one is for those people only.
Thankyou my believers and supporters for understanding the message i try to convey through my bold posts and videos. It’s time to bring a change because the world is changing. let’s open our minds and live in present. 😎
#QandeelBaloch #TheSensation #BBC #BBCUK #Podcast
Just 20 hours back she wrote:
No Matter how many times i will be pushed down under,,But I m Fighter I will Bounce back..#Qandeel#Baloch is “One Women Army”.. #Qandeel #Baloch inspiration to those ladies who are treated badly and dominated by the society..I will Keep On Achieving and I know You will Keep On Hating..DAMN but Who Cares #Qandeel #Baloch#Women #Power #Inspiration #Society #Pakistani#Media #Bigg #Boss #Season10 #BB10#Bigg_Boss_Season10 #Bollywood #Colors_TV
But then in a society where radicalism is acceptable, and terrorists collect funds by going door to door, this was expected. Qandeel Baloch also made enough enemies with her outspoken ways; the radicalized society could not see her twerking in a music video or exposing a prominent cleric.
Who speaks like this ? #QandeelBaloch #fail pic.twitter.com/9Kt5inhLYd
— Sapna Moti Bhavnani (@sapnabhavnani) July 16, 2016
Add to it were her own videos where she was seen doing the impossible, being provocative. Qandeel Baloch even came out in support of the Lesbian community in Pakistan and showered love on the Indian cricket team after her own nation’s team could not lift the cup.
GoOD newS for Eveyone…..#Qandeel #Baloch #sHot #dead by her brother in #Multan
— Marrium Shehzadi (@MarriumShehzadi) July 16, 2016
Good News! MashahALLAH Make my day, Long live brother… #QandeelBalochMurder #QandeelBalockShaheed #QandeelBaloch
— باغی مرید (@abubakarayyaz) July 16, 2016
In any other society this could be the ‘normal’ thing but not so much in Pakistan where blasphemy laws made lives hell and political forces kept putting more fire to an already simmering society.
What was ‘different’ that Qandeel Baloch did, that others did not do? Poonam Pandey and so many others chose the social media and cricket to further their career but no harm came to them. It was an honor killing done by her brother, which is now an ‘honorable’ normal thing in Pakistan.
Now, we can expect the regular shenanigans that happen after every such killing; politicians and so-called human rights workers and journalists (who derided her) to come out and say ‘killing her’ was bad while they themselves, nothing but, ostracized here when lived.
Some others will shed crocodile tears and will lament growing intolerance towards women who choose their paths and refuse to get tied down or live modestly. While many will point to the West, to the India and to everywhere else to show that such murders happen everywhere. But what will not happen is the creation of an environment where Pakistan’s daughters could live as freely as the sons.
Some are wondering today whether Qandeel Baloch could have survived had she done the ‘regular things’ and not been this provocative. Yes, truly, she could have survived, but then she wouldn’t have ‘lived.’ Adieu Qandeel Baloch, you are the one who ‘truly lived.’
