A horrifying case of so-called “honour killing” has emerged in Rawalpindi, where a man shot and killed his 16-year-old daughter after she refused to delete her TikTok account, police confirmed on Friday.
According to Rawalpindi police, the father, whose identity has not been disclosed, initially tried to stage the murder as a suicide, but forensic and investigative evidence led to his arrest and confession.
“The girl’s father had asked her to delete her TikTok account. On her refusal, he killed her,” a police spokesperson told AFP.
The teenage victim was found dead in her home on Tuesday, and her family initially claimed she had taken her own life. However, an autopsy and subsequent investigation exposed inconsistencies in the narrative, prompting further scrutiny.
The incident is the latest in a troubling pattern of gender-based violence linked to women’s social media presence in Pakistan.
Rise in Violence Against Women on Social Media
Just last month, 17-year-old TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf, who had amassed over a million followers for her content on cafes, beauty, and fashion, was murdered in her home by a man whose advances she had rejected.
TikTok remains one of the most accessible and widely used platforms in Pakistan, particularly among youth and women seeking creative and financial independence. However, its popularity has also made it a flashpoint in ongoing debates over morality, digital rights, and women’s visibility in public life.
Despite the app’s widespread appeal, Pakistani women continue to face unique challenges online. According to the 2025 GSMA Mobile Gender Gap Report, only 30% of women in Pakistan own a smartphone, compared to 58% of men the largest gender gap globally.
For many women, TikTok offers a rare outlet to earn income, express themselves, and gain recognition in a society where less than one-quarter of women are active in the formal economy.
Official Backlash and Cultural Pressures
TikTok has faced repeated bans and threats of suspension by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) for what officials describe as “immoral content”. These crackdowns often coincide with public outcry over viral videos, many of which feature female creators.
In deeply conservative areas such as Balochistan, where tribal customs continue to override national laws, honour-based violence remains alarmingly common. Earlier this year, a man confessed to orchestrating the killing of his 14-year-old daughter after discovering TikTok videos he believed had dishonoured the family.
Call for Justice and Reforms
The Rawalpindi murder has reignited calls from rights groups for stronger protection of women and girls in digital spaces and more robust enforcement against perpetrators of honour-based violence.
Women’s rights activists have stressed the need for educational, legal, and societal reformsto shift cultural attitudes and reduce the stigma associated with women’s public presence both online and offline.
Meanwhile, police say the suspect in the Rawalpindi case remains in custody as investigations continue, and authorities have vowed to pursue full legal action under Pakistan’s penal code.
“This is not honour this is cold-blooded murder,” one official told local media. “We will not allow culture to be used as a justification for violence.”
