A court in Pakistan’s Balochistan province on Saturday sentenced a man and his brother-in-law to life imprisonment for the murder of his 14-year-old daughter, a Pakistani-American teenager whose killing over her TikTok videos sparked outrage and renewed concerns over honour-based violence in the country.

The Additional District and Sessions Court in Quetta convicted Anwar-ul-Haq Rajput and his brother-in-law, Muhammad Tayyab Bhatti, for the January 2025 murder of Hira Rajput. The court accepted the prosecution’s argument that the crime had been premeditated and awarded life sentences to both men.

Court Accepts Prosecution’s Case

Prosecutors said Anwar-ul-Haq Rajput brought his daughter from the United States to Pakistan before plotting her killing because he believed her social media activity had brought dishonour to the family.

Investigators said the family had been living in the United States for nearly 25 years and that Hira Rajput had been posting videos on TikTok before returning to Pakistan.

According to the prosecution, the teenager was brought to Quetta under the pretext of visiting her hometown.

Prosecutors alleged that Rajput carried out the murder with the assistance of his brother-in-law, Muhammad Tayyab Bhatti.

The court found that the killing had been planned in advance and sentenced both accused to life imprisonment.

Investigation Uncovered False Story

Police said Rajput initially claimed that his daughter had been struck by a stray bullet while recording videos outside their home.

Bhatti also supported the same version of events during the investigation.

However, investigators later concluded that the incident had been staged and that the murder had been carefully planned.

Prosecutors told the court that Rajput disapproved of his daughter’s TikTok activity and believed it had brought shame to the family.

Police had earlier said family members objected to the teenager’s clothing, lifestyle and social media presence, drawing national attention to the case.

Case Revives Debate on Honour Killings

The murder became one of Pakistan’s most closely watched honour-killing cases and reignited debate over violence against women and girls despite legislative reforms.

Human rights groups have long warned that hundreds of women are killed each year in Pakistan in so-called honour killings, which are often carried out by relatives claiming to defend family honour.

In 2016, Pakistan strengthened its laws against honour killings, introducing mandatory life imprisonment for those convicted in such cases.

The killing of Hira Rajput also highlighted concerns over the dangers faced by young women using social media platforms and the continued prevalence of honour-based violence despite legal safeguards.

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