KARACHI: Although the police registered a case of the killing of four TikTokers, including a woman, in a pre-dawn gun attack in the Garden area on Tuesday against unidentified suspects, the investigators were looking for a friend of the victims, who was also a social media influencer with a history of criminal activities, officials said.

The four young social media influencers were roaming around and filming themselves apparently for their TikTok followers before they were gunned down.

However, within hours of the incident, the police investigation suggested personnel enmity, rivalry over a drugs business and other elements as main issues behind the brazen attack.

“Muskan was a resident of Landhi’s Future Colony,” said a police official. “She was a single mother of a five-year-old son. She has close friendship with deceased Amir and both of them were popular among their followers over TikTok. There is another man who is also a resident of Landhi and once was a close friend of Muskan.”

The mysterious disappearance of her former friend following the incident further strengthened the doubts of the police.

“That former friend of Muskan was also in contact with the two deceased persons Saddam and Rehan, who had been booked in gambling, drug peddling and other illegal activities in the past. Muskan’s former friend also had a criminal record and was actively involved in the drugs business,” he added. “The victims were running illegal businesses.

“Through their social media popularity they enjoyed influence and access to their desired circles which supported them.”

The mystery behind the killings, he added, was yet to be resolved, but the investigators had reasons to believe that it was a result of some rivalry among the social media influencers.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2021