In a dramatic convergence of crime, social media, and national security, a string of disturbing incidents involving TikTok videos has gripped both Pakistan and the United States in recent days, raising urgent questions about the power of digital platforms and the vulnerabilities they can expose.
On November 25, 2025, authorities in Texas arrested Mohammad Dawood Alokozay, an Afghan national, after he posted a TikTok video in which he claimed to be building a bomb, targeting the Fort Worth area. According to Fox News, Alokozay was charged at the state level with making a terroristic threat. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that Alokozay had entered the United States as a lawful permanent resident on September 7, 2022, under Operation Allies Welcome—a program initiated by the Biden administration to resettle Afghans following the U.S. military withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Alokozay’s arrest was not an isolated event. It occurred just one day before another Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, allegedly shot two National Guard soldiers in Washington, D.C., on November 26, 2025. Lakanwal, like Alokozay, had also been resettled in the United States through Operation Allies Welcome. The timing and connection between these two incidents have fueled intense debate about the vetting and integration of refugees and lawful permanent residents from conflict zones.
Court records cited by Fox News and other outlets reveal that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has lodged a detainer on Alokozay following his arrest. The coordinated law enforcement effort involved the Texas Department of Public Safety and an FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force. The seriousness of the threat was underscored by the fact that Alokozay’s video explicitly indicated his intent to harm citizens in the Fort Worth area.
The political fallout was swift. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, responding to Alokozay’s arrest, posted on X (formerly Twitter): “The magnitude of the national security crisis Joe Biden unleashed on our country over the span of four years cannot be overstated. President Trump has directed his entire team to continue rooting out this evil within our borders.”
In the wake of the D.C. shooting, which left Specialist Sarah Beckstrom, a 20-year-old National Guard member, dead and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe critically injured, former President Donald Trump ordered a “full-scale, rigorous re-examination” of green card holders from 19 so-called “countries of concern,” including Afghanistan, Haiti, Iran, and Venezuela. Trump also announced a halt to all immigration requests from Afghanistan, stating, “She was savagely attacked. She’s dead. She’s not with us.” He added, “Outstanding in every single way, in every department. Just horrible.” Trump vowed that the “animal” who shot the two troops will “pay a very steep price.”
Operation Allies Welcome, which brought approximately 85,000 Afghans to the U.S. after the military withdrawal, was designed to provide a safe haven for those who had supported American efforts in Afghanistan. Yet, these recent violent incidents have reignited fierce debate over the adequacy of background checks, the challenges of cultural assimilation, and the broader question of national security versus humanitarian responsibility.
While the United States grappled with the implications of social media-fueled threats and violence, a different but equally troubling TikTok-related case unfolded in Pakistan. On the same day as Alokozay’s arrest, Pakistani police quietly shelved a high-profile case involving a viral TikTok video that showed a young woman’s hair being cut—an incident that initially sparked outrage and widespread media coverage.
The alleged victim, known as Aiman Fatima on TikTok, vanished along with the four suspects who were reportedly arrested in connection with the case. Despite police claims of arrests and frequent updates on November 25, no suspects were ever produced before any Rawalpindi or Islamabad court in the subsequent five days. Police spokespersons, once vocal, fell silent, and the case slipped from public view.
According to The Express Tribune, the case’s origins were murky from the start. The FIR was not lodged by the alleged victim but by a police official named Asad Hussain. The incident, which actually occurred in the first week of September 2025, involved Aiman Fatima being punished by one group of boys after she was seen making videos with a rival group. The matter was initially handled by Islamabad police, where a settlement of Rs150,000 was reached on September 10, 2025, effectively closing the case at that time.
However, the situation escalated when one participant in the settlement did not receive his share, prompting him to leak the video and flee to Lahore. This triggered renewed clashes and a cycle of extortion, as rival groups vied for control and profit. The case bounced between police jurisdictions—Lohi Bher in Islamabad, then Rawat, and finally Naseerabad in Rawalpindi. Yet, no suspects were ever formally presented before Judicial Magistrate Sofia Bibi, who confirmed that no remand was granted between September 25 and 29, nor since the case’s official reopening in late November.
Sources cited by The Express Tribune painted a grim picture of a criminal network exploiting social media fame. Gangs reportedly trap uneducated young girls with promises of TikTok stardom, stage incidents like the hair-cutting episode, and then leak videos to extort money. Disturbingly, some police officials are alleged to be complicit in this racket, further muddying the waters and eroding public trust.
When reporters attempted to contact Aiman Fatima’s family in Dhoke Khaba, her parents reacted angrily and refused to discuss the matter, stating that she had run away from home. The girl was said to have used a fake name, and police were allegedly instructed to misrepresent the jurisdiction of the incident, adding another layer of obfuscation to an already tangled affair.
With both the alleged victim and the suspects missing, and the case officially closed, the episode has left Pakistanis questioning the integrity of local law enforcement and the broader implications of unchecked digital manipulation. In both the U.S. and Pakistan, TikTok served as the catalyst for criminal acts—one involving threats of mass violence, the other a disturbing case of exploitation and extortion.
These parallel stories underscore the double-edged sword of social media in the modern age. TikTok, a platform celebrated for its entertainment value and creative potential, has also become a stage for criminal activity, manipulation, and even terror. As authorities on both sides of the world scramble to respond, the question remains: how can society harness the positive power of digital platforms while guarding against their darkest abuses?
As investigations continue and political leaders debate the future of immigration and digital regulation, the events of late November 2025 serve as a stark reminder that the intersection of technology, crime, and global movement is fraught with peril and complexity. The world is watching, and the stakes could hardly be higher.
