Qandeel Baloch's brother admits to drugging and strangling her: 'Girls are born only to stay at home'

Her brother says he does not feel 'embarrassed' by his actions

The brother of social media celebrity Qandeel Baloch has admitted to drugging and strangling her in the name of “honour”.

Qandeel was killed on Friday night at her family’s home near Multan, a large city in the Punjab province.

Her younger brother, Waseem Baloch, 25, went on the run and was arrested late Saturday.

Speaking at a police press conference early on Sunday, The Express Tribune, a Pakistani English news publication, quoted Waseem as saying: “Girls are born only to stay at home and to bring honour to the family by following family traditions but Qandeel had never done that”.

“I am a drug addict but I was in my senses when I murdered her and I accept it with pride,” Wasseem added. “Now everybody will remember me with honour that I have provided relief to my parents and brothers who were suffering for the last two decades because of her.”

"My friends used to send me videos and pictures on my mobile and everyone in the mobile market was sharing pictures and videos of her with me. Murdering her was better than committing suicide so I went with the former plan.”

Her younger brother Waseem said he acted alone. He also said he did not feel “embarrassed” by his actions.

Qandeel, 26, rose to fame in Pakistan for posting bold, at times risqué photographs and challenging Conservative social taboos in the country.

The social media star and model, whose real name was Fauzia Azeem, has been likened to Kim Kardashian-West and has garnered tens of thousands of social media followers over the years. She has appeared on television to speak about female empowerment and has been applauded by more progressive parts of society but condemned by Conservatives.

Dr Mushtaq Ahmed, who was among the team that carried out Baloch's autopsy said: “Apparently the lady died of suffocation but final opinion on her death would be possible only after report of chemical examination comes. She might have been given some poisonous substance before being strangled.”

Honour killings are commonplace in Pakistan. Nearly 1,000 women are killed by close relatives in Pakistan each year for challenging conservative approaches towards marriage and bringing "shame" upon their community.