Pakistani-American Man Confesses to Killing Daughter Over TikTok Videos

Quetta, Pakistan – A Pakistani-American man has confessed to murdering his teenage daughter, allegedly due to his disapproval of her TikTok videos, police told the BBC.

Anwar ul-Haq, who recently moved his family back to Pakistan from the United States, admitted to shooting his daughter, Hira, in Quetta on Tuesday. Initially, he claimed unidentified assailants were responsible for the attack.

Authorities have charged Haq with murder and are investigating all possible motives, including the possibility of an "honour killing," a practice still reported in parts of the country.

Teenager Killed Over TikTok Videos as Pakistan Confronts Ongoing Honour Killings

Quetta, Pakistan– The killing of 13-year-old Hira Anwar has once again highlighted the persistent issue of so-called honour killings in Pakistan, where hundreds—mostly women—lose their lives each year, according to human rights groups.

Hira’s father, Anwar ul-Haq, who recently returned to Pakistan after living in the United States for 25 years, has confessed to murdering his daughter, reportedly due to objections

 over her TikTok videos, clothing, and social gatherings. Police confirmed that her father’s brother-in-law has also been arrested in connection with the crime.

Hira, who was born in the United States, had been active on TikTok before her family returned to Pakistan’s conservative Balochistan province after 25 years in America. Police have seized her phone, though it remains locked.

Authorities have charged Haq with murder and arrested his brother-in-law in connection with the case. While Haq claims US citizenship, police have not confirmed his nationality or whether the US embassy has been informed.

Pakistan has a history of blocking TikTok over concerns of "obscene content," despite more than 54 million users in the country. Honour killings remain a widespread issue, with over 1,000 women murdered each year for allegedly violating conservative social norms, according to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

Authorities are treating the case as a potential honour killing. If convicted, the suspects face a mandatory life sentence under Pakistan’s 2016 legal reforms, which closed a loophole that previously allowed perpetrators to escape punishment if pardoned by the victim’s family.

Hira had been active on TikTok even before moving back to Pakistan. Investigators have seized her phone, though it remains locked.

Honour killings remain a serious issue in Pakistan, with past cases drawing international attention. In 2023, an Italian court sentenced a Pakistani couple to life in prison for murdering their 18-year-old daughter after she refused an arranged marriage. Meanwhile, the brother of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch, who had initially confessed to killing her in 2016, was controversially acquitted in 2022 after previously receiving a life sentence.

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