US teen shot dead by father in Pakistan over TikTok videos

A man who recently returned to Pakistan from the United States with his family has confessed to police that he killed his daughter because he was unhappy with her TikTok videos. Police say Anwar-ul-Haq has been charged with murder after admitting to shooting his daughter, Hira, in the southwestern city of Quetta on Tuesday. Initially, he had lied to investigators, claiming the shooting was carried out by unknown individuals.

The father, who is a US citizen, claimed that he found his daughter's posts “objectionable.” Police say they are investigating all angles, including the possibility of an honor killing, which is not uncommon in the country. Human rights organizations point out that hundreds of people, mostly women, are killed in so-called honor killings in Pakistan each year. These killings are often carried out by relatives who claim they are defending family honor.

Regarding the case of 13- or 14-year-old Hira Anwar, a police spokesperson said that her family “had objections to her dress, lifestyle, and social gatherings.” It is reported that the family lived in the United States for 25 years, and Hira had begun posting on TikTok even before the family moved back to Pakistan. Investigators say they have possession of Hira’s phone, but it is locked. Police have also arrested her father’s brother-in-law in connection with the murder.

If this case is ultimately determined to be an honor killing and the suspects are convicted, they will face mandatory life imprisonment—a change the Pakistani government made to the law in 2016. Previously, they could avoid jail time if the victim's family forgave them. In 2023, an Italian court sentenced a Pakistani couple to life in prison for killing their 18-year-old daughter because she refused an arranged marriage. The year before, the brother of Pakistani social media star Qandeel Baloch was acquitted on appeal, having previously been sentenced to life in prison for her 2016 murder, which he claimed was because she had brought shame to the family.