A book about slain social media sensation Qandeel Baloch has been shortlisted for the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize this year, a local publication reported on Thursday. Pakistani journalist Sanam Maher, who is the author of the book The Sensational Life & Death of Qandeel Baloch, posted on Twitter, “Some fantastic news to start the day off – The Sensational Life & Death of Qandeel Baloch (@AlephBookCo) is shortlisted for the Shakti Bhatt First Book Prize this year!”
The recipient of the award will also receive INR 200,000. According to the Shakhti Bhatt’s official Facebook page, this year’s list of authors and books are, “those who remind us of the essential humanity that we all share, however different the other may look or feel or behave.”
As the 21st century settles into a morass of prejudice, hatred and violence against the perceived Other, it is writers who will remind us of the essential humanity that we all share, however different the Other may look or feel or behave. Writers may not be able to change the world, but they can help us mourn for those that have been vilified, ostracised and killed. This year’s shortlisted books are verses in the elegy that is slowly but surely being composed for all those whom we don’t even know we have lost,” the page posted.
The Sensational Life & Death of Qandeel Baloch which was released earlier this year, tells the story of the 26-year-old model, Fauzia Azeem aka Qandeel Baloch, who was dubbed Pakistan’s Kim Kardashian. She was murdered for the family’s honour by her brother in 2016.
Published in Daily Times, August 10th 2018.