TikTok Live Arrests: Peshawar Police Hold Performer

Peshawar police have arrested a TikTok performer after a livestream showed him drinking alcohol, in the first publicised arrest of the TikTok live arrests now under way in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Gulbahar police arrested Abbas, alias Sonu, after the video circulated on social media. Officers recovered one bottle of liquor from his possession and registered a case against him. Police also said they deleted his TikTok account.

Capital City Police Peshawar reported the arrest on its official X account on November 11. The post carried video from the livestream, which showed the performer drinking alcohol openly while a female performer, who kept her face covered, encouraged him.

Shortly after his arrest, Abbas had to make a public apology at Gulbahar Police Station in Peshawar. Police shared the apology in the same post.

TikTok live arrests: a wider crackdown across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

The Peshawar arrest is part of a wider police operation against performers accused of broadcasting obscene content during TikTok live sessions. TNN English reported that police have registered cases and arrested several TikTokers from Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar and Mansehra after public complaints.

Those taken into custody include Haris, alias Bachaji, Pehlwan Mardani, Zeeshan, Zahid Arman, Prince Abdullah and Alamgir. Police also arrested female performers, including Boom Boom Pari, Alishah 007 and her mother, and Peshawar King Khan, according to the report.

Authorities added that many TikTokers fled the country as the crackdown gathered pace. Among them are the performer Meno and her husband Mishal, with a video circulating online showing Meno travelling on an aeroplane.

The operation follows a petition filed in the Peshawar High Court by social activist Saqib-ur-Rehman. He sought action against obscene and immoral content on social media, with TikTok live streams named in particular.

Complaints, not a single video

Police action in Mansehra shows the same pattern. The News reported that police there arrested two TikTokers on Monday after complaints reached the force’s social media monitoring team. One of them, Nadeem, alias Mamo, was accused of using abusive language and harassing women online and offline. The other, Osama Anwar, was held for uploading videos showing arms and ammunition. Police seized a pistol and cartridges from him.

The Peshawar case is different in one respect. It rests on a livestream rather than a recorded clip, and the evidence came from the broadcast itself. That is why the police post carried the video, and why the apology followed so quickly.

It is also part of a run of social media arrests in Pakistan this month. A TikToker in Lahore was held over car drifting, and a TikToker in Sialkot was arrested over threats to a stampede victim’s family. The pattern is consistent: a clip goes viral, a complaint follows, and police act.

What happens next

The police have not yet said which sections of the law apply in the Peshawar case, beyond confirming that a case was registered after the bottle was recovered. The suspect remains in custody while the case proceeds.

For performers, the message from police is plain. Live sessions draw a live audience, and they also draw complaints. The High Court petition means the crackdown has a legal frame, not only a police one.

For viewers, the episode is a reminder that livestreams leave a record. The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has already warned online users about scams and unsafe behaviour, and regulators abroad are moving against TikTok over its algorithm. In Pakistan, the debate over age limits on social media is already before the courts.

Frequently asked questions

Who was arrested in Peshawar over a TikTok livestream?

Gulbahar police arrested Abbas, alias Sonu, a local TikTok performer, after a livestream showed him drinking alcohol and promoting its consumption.

What did police recover from the suspect?

Officers recovered one bottle of liquor from his possession, registered a case against him, and said they deleted his TikTok account.

Is this part of a wider crackdown?

Yes. Police have arrested several TikTokers in Mardan, Swabi, Peshawar and Mansehra after public complaints, and cases have been registered against them.

What prompted the police action?

A petition in the Peshawar High Court by social activist Saqib-ur-Rehman sought action against obscene and immoral content on social media, particularly TikTok live streams.

Did the arrested performer apologise?

Yes. Abbas made a public apology for his behaviour at Gulbahar Police Station in Peshawar shortly after his arrest.