A 16-year-old girl in Pakistan was reportedly killed by her father after she refused to delete her TikTok account, according to police authorities who confirmed the incident on Friday.
The incident took place on Tuesday in Rawalpindi, a city located near the capital, Islamabad. A police spokesperson stated, “The girl’s father had asked her to delete her TikTok account. On refusal, he killed her.”
Investigators described the killing as an “honor” crime, as indicated in the police report accessed by AFP.
The family initially tried to mislead authorities by claiming the girl had taken her own life. “For honor,” the report stated, outlining the father’s alleged motive. He has since been arrested.
In conservative segments of Pakistan’s Muslim-majority society, women and girls often face stringent restrictions on personal conduct, including online activity. Violence in the name of family “honor” remains a persistent issue, particularly when female behavior is perceived to deviate from traditional norms.
The case comes just weeks after another disturbing incident involving 17-year-old social media personality Sana Yousaf. Known for content on skincare, fashion, and cafe culture, Yousaf was killed in her home by a man whose advances she had reportedly rejected. She had amassed a following of over one million users across various platforms.
TikTok continues to grow in popularity across Pakistan, especially among youth and individuals with limited formal education. The app has become a platform for both expression and economic opportunity, particularly for women in a country where fewer than 25% participate in the formal labor force.
Still, digital access remains deeply unequal. The 2025 Mobile Gender Gap Report noted that while 58% of Pakistani men own smartphones, only 30% of women do—marking the widest gender disparity in mobile phone ownership globally.
Despite its reach, TikTok has been subject to repeated scrutiny by authorities. Pakistan’s telecom regulators have intermittently blocked or threatened to ban the platform, often citing concerns over “immoral behavior” and content involving LGBTQ themes.
Earlier this year in Balochistan, another case emerged in which a father admitted to orchestrating the murder of his 14-year-old daughter after discovering her presence on TikTok. He defended his actions by claiming the videos had brought dishonor to the family.
