Four TikTokers, including one female, were shot dead near Anklesaria Hospital in Karachi's Garden area early on Tuesday morning, officials said.
A woman, identified as Muskaan, popular for her Tiktok videos, was shot dead by men on a motorcycle outside the Anklesaria Hospital in Karachi’s Garden, the police said on Tuesday.
The victim was in her car when she was attacked. Due to the firing, her friend Saddam suffered injuries and passed away on the way to the hospital.
Two other men, Amir Khan and Rehan, were injured. They were immediately rushed to the Civil Hospital.
According to the police, the attackers had planned the murder. “They followed the car until it stopped and then forced the victims out on gunpoint,” the investigating officer said. “The perpetrators then shot them one by one.”
The officer revealed that 9MM pistols were used in the attack. The police have also obtained a Tiktok video featuring Muskaan and Khan, which was filmed moments before the firing.
“Muskaan was a resident of Landhi, while Saddam lived in the Baldia Town,” the officer said, adding that the police have collected evidence from the crime site and have started investigating it.
TikTok ban in Pakistan
Pakistan blocked the video-sharing app on October 9 for its “obscene and immoral” content. The ban was reversed after 10 days.
The PTA spokesperson said the TikTok management assured the authority that it will block all accounts repeatedly involved in spreading obscenity and immorality and moderate content in accordance with local laws.
The authority had said at the time of the ban that the decision was made after it received complaints ‘against immoral/indecent content’ on the app. “In view of the presence of vulgar, indecent/immoral content on the platform and its negative effects on the society, the PTA has been continuously asserting TikTok to prevent its platform from disseminating the unlawful content,” it said, adding that the app didn’t take concrete steps for blocking and removal of unlawful content.
City Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sarfaraz Nawaz Shaikh said all four deceased were active on social media, particularly Tik Tok. He said two of those who died, identified as Muskan and Amir, were friends.
According to the official, Muskan called Amir, asking him to meet on Monday night. Amir arranged a car and took his friends, Rehan and Sajjad, to meet her.
"All four of them roamed the city and [Amir and Muskan] also made TikTok videos [during that time]," the police officer said.
The official said the four were attacked near Anklesaria Hospital, Garden, at 4:48am by unknown assailants. "The woman was killed inside the car while all three men were shot outside the car. They were taken to the hospital but succumbed to their wounds," the official said.
Empty shells from 9mm pistols were found near the car, he said. The family of the deceased arrived at the police station and a first information report (FIR) would be registered, he added.
Shaikh said Rehan and Sajjad had previously made a TikTok video in which they were seen doing aerial firing in the city's Ittihad Town area. Police had taken notice of the video after it went viral on social media, registering an FIR against the two men.
He further said the murders "appeared to be the outcome of some personal issues". However, the exact motive and identity of the killers were being investigated, he added.
The SSP said there were no witnesses to the incident.
