Qandeel Baloch

Qandeel Baloch was a Pakistani model, actress, social media celebrity and activist. She was the country's first social media celebrity. She rose to prominence due to her videos on social networks discussing her daily routine, her rights as a Pakistani woman, and various controversial issues. She first received recognition from the media in 2013, when she auditioned for Pakistan Idol; her audition became popular and she became an Internet celebrity. She was one of the top 10 most searched-for persons on the internet in Pakistan and was both celebrated and criticised for the content of her videos and posts. She met senior cleric Mufti Abdul Qawi at a hotel to learn more about her faith; the interaction between them brought about mayhem on social media platforms, as their photos became popular online. She pleaded with the government for protection, saying that she was receiving threatening phone calls and messages, saying she had "exposed" the cleric for what she claimed he truly was: a hypocrite who used Islam to further his interests. She was strangled to death by her brother Waseem Azeem while she slept in her parents' house in Multan. He confessed to the murder saying she was "bringing disrepute" to the "family's honour". Her murder sparked a debate on women's rights, honour killings, and the role of social media in Pakistan.