investigation so far has revealed that the family objected to her dressing, lifestyle, and social media activities.” He added, “We have her phone, but it is locked. We are investigating all aspects, including the possibility of an honor killing.”
According to Baloch, the family had returned to Balochistan recently after spending approximately 25 years in the United States. During the investigation, the suspect revealed that his daughter had started creating “objectionable” content on TikTok while living in the U.S. and continued to share videos even after returning to Pakistan.
The police reported that the suspect’s brother-in-law had also been arrested in connection with the killing.
Authorities have charged Haq with murder. However, they did not provide any proof of his U.S. citizenship apart from his own testimony. The police also declined to confirm whether the U.S. embassy had been informed about the incident.
The suspect’s family refused to comment on the matter.
Around 54 million people use TikTok in Pakistan, a country with a population of 241 million. Over the past few years, the government has repeatedly blocked the app, often citing concerns over “obscene content.” However, TikTok has recently begun complying with Pakistan’s requests to remove specific content.
According to the independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, more than 1,000 women are murdered annually in the country by family or community members over perceived damage to “honor.” These cases often stem from actions such as eloping, posting content on social media, interacting with men, or violating conservative societal norms.
