JournalismPakistan.com | Published December 20, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD — Tik Tok, the most downloaded app in Pakistan in 2019, is providing a platform to young Pakistanis from poor backgrounds to showcase their talent online, according to a feature on BBC Urdu.
The article features three top Tik Tok stars – Naila Jutt, Malik Usman and transgender Mehak Malik, who all have followers in millions.
Malik, who is known as ‘The famous Maulvi,’ has two million followers, with 55 million likes. Naila, who is from a poor household in Sialkot, has 700000 followers and 15 million likes. With 2.8 million followers, Mehak has got 45 million likes.
Already known for her dance performance in Multan, Mehak maintains the app is helping to bridge class gaps. “Educated, hifi people now look at us. Earlier they would not like transgender but now they know there is an artist by the name of Mehak.”
A friend told Naila about Tik Tok, saying when one makes videos for Tik Tok, a company sends gifts. “But I found out that there is no such company,” she says.
Usman, who is a shopkeeper in Wazirabad, says there is no direct income from Tik Tok videos but “some companies do give you gifts or sometimes some money.” When people tell Usman that with a beard, he is making videos, “I say I am bringing smiles to people’s faces and I am doing nothing wrong.”
Those who like Usman’s performances say Pakistan needs more “maulvis” like him.
Naila makes almost all her videos in her two-room home. “I don’t have a big home, no new clothes, and I don’t know how to talk in English.” Many have made fun of her modest home and pronunciation, but Naila is not worried.
She says she has been offered to perform on stage, but she is more interested in modeling or acting on screen. “I want to see myself performing on the big screen. I also want my younger sister to get education and become a lawyer.”
April 21, 2025: After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.
April 21, 2025: Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.
April 20, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.