Images

23 Jul, 2016

It's been a week since rising social media sensation Qandeel Baloch was murdered by her brother in Multan.

Reactions to her death were swift, with condemnation pouring in from all over Pakistan.

Also read: Qandeel Baloch is dead because we hate women who don't conform

However, a fair amount of people also expressed the view that Qandeel had placed herself in harm's way by making videos that pushed the boundaries of what's acceptable entertainment fare in Pakistan.

These same people have been accused of victim blaming — especially by those who have chosen to take to Qandeel's favoured medium, social media, to voice their perspective.

These video monologues, recorded after Qandeel's death, make some valid (and also controversial) points. Watch here:

1) The one on "the Qandeel Baloch phenomenon"

33-year-old Sidra Khan from Peshawar runs the 'Zamunga Khuwende - Our Sisters page' and made this video. She says: "In a society where the word 'sex' is such a taboo, men found her [Qandeel's] open sexy attitude as a release for their own sexual frustrations... Qandeel was just holding a mirror and showing society its reality."

Talking to Images about what she sees as a double standard in Pakistani society, one which Qandeel successfully exposed, Khan adds: "You could say they [Qandeel's viewers] are there to enjoy the video but they also hate that about themselves. In turn, they hated Qandeel for showing them who they actually are."

2) The one where Junaid Akram slammed some haters

“Why has our society collectively placed honour between the legs of a woman?” asks video blogger and comedian Junaid Akram in his video. Akram too talks about double standards, saying our society looks to women to 'uphold' honour but turns a blind eye to men and women who commit dishonorable acts like corruption and terrorism in Pakistan.

In his eyes, the murder of Qandeel Baloch has been committed by people who wished death upon her.

3) The one where Waqar Zaka made some surprising revelations

In this nearly 9 minute video, the VJ calls out men (and women, he mentions Bushra Ansari) who insult women like Qandeel and ridicule them online. He adds that Qandeel's haters hadn't been forced to watch her videos or follow her on social media but they did so anyway and that's on them.

He also revealed that Baloch had been tried to break into the industry since 2004, when she would sing hymns, but no one spoke about her then or gave her any positive attention or a break. He claims that she resorted to sharing her life on social media because she had exhausted other options. He repeatedly states, "You did this to her."

Never thought we'd say this but Waqar Zaka actually makes sense.

Comments

malk Jul 23, 2016 05:39pm
Why is zaka always claiming he knows all the facts??
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Maram Jul 23, 2016 07:28pm
"Never thought we'd say this but Waqar Zaka actually makes sense." so true, couldn't agree more:)
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Hussein Jul 23, 2016 07:54pm
The collective issue of our society is we have resorted to violence to solve all our problems. Be it be religious differences, political, honor, romance, etc. The list goes on. It is high time that the silent majority awakens to take the country back from all these evils. Violence is being taught as a coping machanism by our religious leaders. If all of them collectively step out in public holding hands and announce. WE ARE PAKSITAN and nothing else matters. Every father needs to sit down with his son(s) and tell them that family honor is to respect and love your wife, sister, mother, bhabi.
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Najam Saeed Jul 23, 2016 08:03pm
Pakistan is overflowing with people who have double standards. What they claim or say they are in public is very different from what they are behind the scenes. Both videos are spot on. No doubt, the people and the society drove her mindless brother to kill Qandeel.
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Tim Jul 23, 2016 08:48pm
"She didn't go to hell, she just left one" ----how profound. Wake up my beloved Pakistan
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Salman Jul 23, 2016 10:10pm
Waqar Zaka is nothing but a desperate attention seeker and he isnt worth a discussion. Moving on, ITs sad that Qandeel had to die like this. Her death has proved that Pakistani nation is nothing but two faced good for nothing, for instance, On one hand they are using foul language and in the same sentence they are talking about honor. How pathetic seriously. Qandeel is an ideology that will always be there and suppressing ideologies like these will actually make them even more stronger.
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Danish Jul 23, 2016 11:51pm
Zaka you can not understand contribution of Bushra Ansari.
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sajjo Jul 24, 2016 01:01am
may Allah give her soul peace
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Igloo Jul 24, 2016 02:44pm
Hussain, you have made a very profound statement.
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Doctor Who Jul 24, 2016 08:13pm
@Igloo Very nice distillation analysis of a complex problem with a very basic but extremely fundamental first step as the beginning of its solution. AGREED completely!
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