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Pakistan: How social media can become a danger to women – DW – 06/27/2025

a day ago

Pakistan: How social media can become a danger to women – DW – 06/27/2025

As more women in Pakistan embrace self-expression and economic freedom online, they're often met with harassment, privacy violations and violence. Earlier this month, 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf was shot dead by a man who had repeatedly contacted her online, according to police. The killing of the popular Pakistani teenager, who had more than 1 million followers across TikTok and Instagram, has raised renewed concerns over the safety of online personalities in Pakistan, particularly young women. "I had posted a story on social media while at a burger shop," Hira Zainab, a Pakistani social media user, told DW. "On my way back, a car passed by, and someone called out my name." Zainab, who has been active on Instagram since 2017, has maintained several public accounts, including a food blog and a society column. She said this wasn't the only instance where online stalking turned into a real-life encounter. "Once, I was at a salon, and after I left, I received a message saying, 'That color looks nice on you.'" Both times, Zainab said the messages came from strangers who had previously made online advances she had ignored. Other recent incidents — such as leaked video footage purporting to show TikToker Maryam Faisal in a private moment with a partner — have highlighted concerns about women's digital safety. In Pakistan, self-expression and economic independence in digital spaces comes with a surge of threats, privacy violations, and social backlash pressures that often escalate into real-world violence. According to a 2023 study by the Digital Rights Foundation, an NGO that advocates women's rights in the digital space, 58.5% of online harassment complaints in Pakistan are filed by women. But public conversation rarely addresses the deeper, systemic issue — particularly the patriarchal norms that stretch from the online world into homes, workplaces, and society at large. Women with public-facing digital lives have been asking why does visibility so often come at a cost? DW spoke with several Pakistani women who use social media in a public capacity. Yusra Amjad, a Pakistani poet, has used Instagram publicly since 2017. "What started with poetry grew into opportunities for content creation and collaboration," she told DW. "The coolest thing that happened was when Yrsa Daley-Ward, a British African poet, selected someone from Instagram comments for a video call and I won" Amjad said. "I also connected with Indian writers and poets." She recalled one of many hate comments she has received. "When my mother and I did yoga in a park. Hate comments alluded to it being shameless and dishonorable." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Bisma Shakeel, who is based in the Pakistani city of Kohat, uses social media to raise awareness about mental health, focusing on narcissistic abuse and domestic violence. Her motivation stems from personal experience, having left a toxic relationship in which her partner was controlling and discouraged her from using social media to build a professional presence. But the 29-year-old's journey wasn't straightforward. Securing permission from her family to post videos showing her face took time. For many women, freedom on social media, just like in offline spaces, exists on a spectrum. "My father is liberal, but even he said, 'You shouldn't post. People will talk. In our community, girls don't do that.'" Though Shakeel is now active on social media, she said it doesn't come without risk. "Not so much on Instagram, but on TikTok, you can't imagine the kind of threats we get. Rape threats, death threats," she said. Women in Pakistan — especially those who are visibly active online, whether talking about politics or society or simply owning their space — are often judged and perceived as a threat to religious and cultural values. ''That framing is what makes the harassment feel 'deserved' to many. It's not random, it's deeply structured: she's labeled as immoral or un-Islamic, and then attacking her becomes a form of social or religious duty,'' said Maham Tariq, a feminist activist associated with Pakistan's "Aurat Azadi March" (Women's Freedom March). "It allows people to feel righteous while being violent." To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Several women interviewed expressed frustration that social media platforms often fail to adequately support victims of online harassment. The complaint process is slow and often ineffective. Aisha*, a Karachi native now based in Berlin, has used Instagram as a blog and community platform for years. She shared her experience of being impersonated online with fake profiles and doctored photos. ''Family members would screenshot my photos,'' she said. ''And I saw fake profiles of myself.'' Aisha said that a recent Instagram feature whereby blocking an account also blocks associated IPs has dramatically reduced the number of fake accounts. Following Sana Yousaf's killing, rights expert Dad noted that many women influencers have become active in reporting victim-blaming comments. "They also reported profiles glorifying Sana's murder,'' said Dad, who noted that low digital literacy combined with widespread internet access remains a challenging and risky mix in Pakistan. ''So bad actors, somehow, they have this sort of trust in the system that it won't work for victims and survivors,'' she said. While authorities often act swiftly on victims' complaints, that's not always the case. For some, like Aisha, safety remains a major concern when visiting Pakistan, even from abroad. She says she keeps her accounts private during view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Business Recorder

4 days ago

Business Recorder

The dark side of influencing

Young. Beautiful. Smiling. Singing. Silence. Silenced. Shot. Dead. Gone. Unbelievable. Awful. Horrible. Can't be true. It must be fake. It is the trick of virtual reality. It is reality. It happens. It happened. A young teenage girl, Sana Yousaf, is no more. She was living her dream. The brutal reality gunned her down. A young psychopath living in his delusional reality ended the dream. Ended the life. It is heartbreaking. It is mind shattering. It is soul shaking. This should not have happened. It has. Yes, the one who has allegedly committed her murder is arrested and yes he will be punished. Is this enough? No. How to ensure that such incidents are not repeated? There are no absolute answers but yes a debate and discourse to discover more ways of preventing this is the need of the hour. Social media goods and bads have become a central topic. The impact of social media is now part of policies and programmes at the highest level. However, the core debate remains on social media use and abuse by general public. The recent increase in the desire for conversion of users to influencers is something that is now becoming an area of discussion. The young or Gen Z as we call them are really attracted by this field. More than half of young people want to be influencers. According to a 2023 Morning Consult survey 57 percent, to be exact. Not to say older people do not want to become influencers. Nearly half, 41 percent of adults overall would choose the career as well. The reason is that it is a dream that most people have -money, fame and independence. The typical professional life where you are bound by rules and job descriptions puts the young off. In their minds, becoming an influencer means, no overbearing boss, no 9 to 5 routines, and the power of being able to influence a lot of people, with loads of money in a short span. What is attracting them is the overnight fame and success of the social media stars like 'the Pawri ho rahi hai' girl, the Arshad 'chai wala', the coke studio 'pasoori' girl. Fair enough. Out of these three, only one was a budding influencer to begin with. And there are millions who do not make it. Behind this insta fame and fortune lustre, the story has many shades of grey that need to be kept in mind while taking up this career: Looming and dooming cyber stalking— We are in the influencer era. We are living in the influencer culture. Influencing has always been there. Personal selling where professional salesmen would come and influence the customer choices is an old business norm. Advertising that convinces people to buy a product is part and parcel of any business strategy. As is usual, when influencing power increases, so does its misuse. That is why there are laws that ensure that the use of promotion is within ethical and legal boundaries. At the end of 2023 the global Influencer marketing industry was worth some USD 21 billion, according to influencer Marketing Hub. Surveys conducted by the Keller Advisory Group and Adobe reported 300 million people globally consider themselves content creators. This is big business. An influencer can earn more than an established business. Time for Security Exchange Corporation of Pakistan to establish laws to regulate this industry. This is absolutely essential to create a differential between true and fake influencers. The other need is to have specific cyber stalking laws. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), tasked with investigating cybercrime and registering cases of online violence, has repeatedly failed to submit a report to parliament regarding their operations as required under section 53 of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act 2016. Advocacy groups and parliamentarians need to put serious pressure to amend the bill to make the punishments more timely and with grave and deterring consequences. Kid influencing is not all green— Not only the young are in the influencing attraction, but kids are acting as influencers too. Here come ambitious parents. They know that nothing gets more likes than a kid saying something cute and catchy. This is really making kids live unreal lives and influence other kids to live unreal lives. The attraction is so great that kids who would say they want to be doctors or fire fighters now want to be influencers. One in three children wants to be a YouTuber or vlogger, while only about one in ten chose astronaut, an international survey found in 2019. The latest figures must be even more worrying. These children will not have a normal childhood once they become the primary source of income for their families and they will have to face the exhaustion of work life from a very young age. They are likely to face mental health issues at a very young age as they face an identity crisis. Mohammad Shiraz, 12 years old, from Baltistan, had gained a massive following of 1.58 million subscribers on his YouTube channel, Shirazi Village Vlogs. His father had to stop the Vlogs as his son's personality was damaged. Shiraz's father explained he quit due to two main reasons. Firstly, Shiraz's fame had changed his personality, and he was no longer the same obedient and charming boy he used to be. His father noticed that he was not interacting with his friends and family with the same attitude as before, and this was a side-effect of being a social media star. His reintegration into the normal life may itself be a complex parenting issue. Time for influencer certification— In Pakistan, the influencers need education and protection. The government must make it mandatory for influencers to register and get certified to run their accounts. There must be some online courses supervised by relevant authorities that explain what influencing involves, how to cope with cyber bullying, cyber stalking, what laws protect them and where to get help from. The random race to post videos to increase following especially by youngsters creates dangers of being amongst a segment whose reactions are unpredictable. Education on them can prevent a lot of tragedies from happening. If a country like Australia has limited the use of social media for under-16, there is a very strong case of taking this rapidly growing industry as seriously as advertising. The unbridled and free postings regardless of age are pushing the safety boundaries too far. As they say about power, so goes for influencing too-Absolute influence creates absolute exploitation. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025

Pakistani actress Ayesha Khan's neighbours got foul odour from Karachi flat that uncovered her week-old death: Report

Hindustan Times

21-06-2025

Entertainment
Hindustan Times

Pakistani actress Ayesha Khan's neighbours got foul odour from Karachi flat that uncovered her week-old death: Report

Veteran Pakistani actress Ayesha Khan was discovered dead in her apartment, nearly a week after her passing. As reported by Gulf News, the 76-year-old was found in a decomposed state at her residence in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 7. Pakistani actress Ayesha Khan was found dead in her Karachi home after neighbours reported a foul odour. (Also read: Pakistani TikToker Sana Yousaf celebrated 17th birthday days before being killed by stalker. Her last video) As per the outlet, the grim discovery was made after neighbours detected a strong, foul odour emanating from her flat. Alarmed, they promptly informed the local authorities. Police arrived at the scene and recovered the body, which was then shifted to Jinnah Hospital for medico-legal procedures to ascertain the cause and approximate time of death. Following preliminary examination, her remains were moved to a mortuary for further formalities. Police officials have launched an investigation and are speaking to neighbours and relatives in an effort to reconstruct the events leading up to her death. Early indications suggest she had been living alone for several years and had limited interaction with the outside world. A lasting legacy in Pakistani entertainment Ayesha Khan was a respected figure in Pakistan's television and film industry, known for her grace, poise, and commanding on-screen presence. She was also the elder sister of the late actress Khalida Riyasat. Throughout her career, Ayesha Khan earned admiration for her memorable performances in acclaimed television dramas such as Akhri Chattan, Tipu Sultan: The Tiger Lord, Dehleez, Daraarein, and Ek Aur Aasman. Her film work included notable appearances in Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman, Muskaan, and Fatima. (Also read: 18-year-old student plays TikTok doorbell prank, shot dead by homeowner: Report) Although she had stepped away from the public eye in recent years, her contributions to the industry continue to be cherished by audiences and colleagues alike.

Sana Yousaf's 'murderer' remanded to police

Express Tribune

16-06-2025

Express Tribune

Sana Yousaf's 'murderer' remanded to police

A Judicial Magistrate in Islamabad on Monday granted a four-day physical remand for the accused, Omar Hayat, in the murder case of TikToker Sana Yousaf. The court also ordered a medical examination of the accused and directed the police to submit the report at the next hearing. The Islamabad police presented the suspect before Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Hafeez following an identification parade. According to the prosecution, the accused had been identified by two specific individualsthe victim's mother and paternal aunt. The police requested a seven-day remand to recover the mobile phone and vehicle allegedly used in the crime. However, the court approved a four-day remand instead. During the hearing, the accused informed the court that he had already handed over his mobile phone to the police. He also requested a medical examination and stated that he currently has no contact with his family and is uncertain about hiring legal representation. The court accepted his request for a medical examination and directed the police to produce him again on June 20, along with a medical report and updates on the investigation.

'This is a culture': TikTok murder highlights Pakistan's unease with women online

Japan Times