A man who had recently brought his family back to Pakistan from the United States confessed to shooting dead his teenage daughter, motivated by his disapproval of her TikTok content, Pakistani police said.
The incident took place on Tuesday in Quetta, the capital of Balochistan province.
The suspect, identified as Anwar ul-Haq, initially told authorities that unidentified gunmen had killed his daughter, but later admitted to the crime, police official Babar Baloch confirmed.
"Our investigation suggests that the family disapproved of her dressing, social activities, and lifestyle," said senior investigator Zohaib Mohsin. He added that authorities are considering all angles, including the possibility of an honour killing.
Haq, who holds US citizenship, had recently moved his family back to Pakistan after spending 25 years in the United States. According to police, he objected to his daughter's TikTok content, which she had begun posting while living in the US and continued after their return to Pakistan.
Haq's brother-in-law was also arrested in connection with the killing.
Police said the suspect has been formally charged with murder. However, they did not provide documentation of his US citizenship, stating that this was based on his own testimony. They also declined to confirm whether US authorities had been informed.
The victim’s family has not responded to requests for comment.
Pakistan, a country with 241 million people, has over 54 million TikTok users. However, the app has faced multiple bans in recent years due to content deemed "obscene" by authorities.
The government has often pressured the platform to remove certain posts, citing concerns over social values.
The case has reignited debates over so-called honour killings in Pakistan, where more than 1,000 women are murdered annually by family members for perceived transgressions, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.
These incidents often involve social media activity, personal relationships, or defying conservative norms.
Police continue to investigate the case, including analysing the victim’s locked phone.
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