TORONTO, December 12 (RIA Novosti) - A Canadian man has appeared in court in Toronto accused of killing his 16-year-old daughter, reportedly over her refusal to wear a traditional Islamic head scarf, national media said on Wednesday.

On Monday, police received an emergency call from Muhammad Parvez, 57, who said that "he had just killed his daughter."

The girl, who was allegedly choked, later died in hospital. Her father was arrested at the scene, and appeared in court on murder charges on Wednesday.

The girl's friends told local media that Aqsa, an eleventh grade student, had had trouble at home over recent months.

"She wanted to go different ways than her family wanted her to go, and she wanted to take her own path, but he [her father] wouldn't let her," a classmate told public broadcaster CBC.

The daily Toronto Star cited another girl as saying, "she loved clothes... she just wanted to show her beauty ... She just wanted to dress like us, just like a normal person."

However, some Muslim groups have urged the media not to sensationalize the story, saying that the head scarf, or hijab, may have just been "one of many issues."

"Keep in mind it may have been an issue, one of many," said Homa Arjoman, of the Campaign against Sharia Court in Canada group. "If people are going to make this an issue about hijab it is potentially a stretch."