TikTok user killed for honour in Quetta

QUETTA: An American-Pakistani dual national female TikToker was shot dead in an alleged honour killing in Quetta, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

The incident occurred in the Balochi Street area where 15-year-old Hira was killed, police said.

During the Police investigation, it was revealed that Hira was murdered by her father and maternal uncle Tayyab Ali.

Hira’s father was enraged over his daughter’s lifestyle and social media presence, particularly her TikTok videos. Hira refused to obey her father who tried to refrain her from making Tiktok videos.

The police officials stated that Anwarul-Haq had shifted to America with his wife and children several years ago. He came to Pakistan with her daughter Hira on January 15 while his wife and two other daughters remained in the US.

The police confirmed that the murder was premeditated, as Anwarul Haq hatched the plot, getting his brother-in-law to kill Hira.

Police have registered a murder case after arresting both the accused who have confessed to the killing.

The case has been transferred to the Serious Crime Investigation Wing for further inquiry.

Meanwhile, TikTok remained unavailable on Apple and Google app stores in the US on Tuesday, a day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order delaying the enforcement of a ban on the popular Chinese-owned short-video app by 75 days.

The order came amid growing doubts on the future of the app that went dark on Saturday, shortly before a law that cited national security to say the Chinese owner ByteDance should sell it or face a ban in the US came into effect on Sunday.

Although TikTok resumed service after Trump’s assurances that the company and its partners would not face hefty fines to keep the app running, it was yet to return to the app stores.

The delay, analysts doubted, could be because Google and Apple are awaiting additional protections before bypassing the ban that punishes the companies for hosting or distributing the app.

Apple’s App Store said, “TikTok and other ByteDance apps are not available in the country or region you’re in”, while Google Play said, “Downloads for this app are paused due to current US legal requirements”.

Google, Apple and TikTok did not respond to requests for comment.

Bill Ford, CEO of TikTok investor General Atlantic, told CNBC on Tuesday there are ways to change TikTok U.S. ownership, that do not necessarily involve its sale.

“I don’t think that necessarily has to mean a divestiture,” he said, referring to the law that bans TikTok, adding that 60% of TikTok’s parent company, ByteDance, was controlled by non- Chinese shareholders.

ByteDance is nearly 60% owned by institutional investors such as BlackRock and General Atlantic, while its founders and employees own 20% each.