In a tragic case of alleged honour killing, a 20-year-old woman was reportedly shot dead by her brothers in Pakistan’s Jhelum for making TikTok videos, according to ARY News. The incident occurred in Dhoke Korian, where neighbours had objected to the victim’s social media activity, leading to a confrontation within the family.
Enraged by the situation, the brothers allegedly opened fire, killing their sister on the spot. Following the murder, the accused reportedly attempted to stage the incident as a suicide and erase evidence from the crime scene.
This is not an isolated case. On Wednesday, another alleged honour killing surfaced when an American-Pakistani dual national female TikToker was shot dead in Quetta, as reported by ARY News.
In a separate incident in Quetta, a 15-year-old girl named Hira was allegedly killed by her father and maternal uncle over her TikTok videos. The father, Anwarul-Haq, was reportedly angered by his daughter’s social media presence and ordered her to stop. When she refused, he conspired with her maternal uncle, Tayyab Ali, to carry out the murder.
Authorities revealed that Anwarul-Haq had been living in the United States with his wife and children but returned to Pakistan with Hira on January 15, while his wife and two other daughters remained in the US. Police confirmed the killing was premeditated.
Honour killings, known as ‘Karo Kari’ in Pakistan, continue to claim lives across the country. According to Geo News, between January 22 and 25, eight people, including five women, were murdered across four districts of Sindh in suspected honour-related violence.
Pakistan sees hundreds of such killings each year, often carried out by close relatives claiming to defend family honour. While traditionally more prevalent in conservative rural areas, these acts of violence have become increasingly common in urban settings as well.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) reported that honour killings remained a grave concern in 2024, with Sindh and Punjab recording particularly high numbers. Between January and November, 346 individuals fell victim to these brutal crimes.