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TIKTOK STAR IMSHA REHMAN |
Social media influencer and TikTok star Imsha Rehman has become a household name in Pakistan following the viral circulation of an alleged obscene video across various platforms. The video quickly spread on WhatsApp and other social media channels, causing immense public outrage and forcing Rehman to delete her social media accounts. Despite her efforts to distance herself from the controversy, the video continues to circulate, prompting further scrutiny of her personal life.
This obsession with a woman’s private life, especially in the midst of a crippling economic and political crisis, raises significant questions. In a nation where millions are struggling to survive, why is the public fixation more on a single TikTok video than on the urgent issues plaguing the country? Issues such as severe poverty, political instability, and an ongoing humanitarian crisis seem to take a back seat to the public’s obsession with the private lives of women.
Pakistan: One of the Worst Places to Be a Woman
Pakistan is consistently ranked among the worst countries for women’s rights. According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report, Pakistan is ranked 153rd out of 156 countries, making it one of the most challenging places for women to thrive. Women face significant barriers in education, employment, healthcare, and political empowerment, with skewed literacy rates (58% for women vs. 70% for men) and alarming rates of underage marriages, which UNICEF estimates at 21%.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan reported that at least 475 women were killed in the name of "honor" in a single year. These honor killings often occur when women assert their basic rights, such as the right to choose a partner. Furthermore, the World Bank reported that Pakistan’s female labor force participation was just 22%, hindered by cultural norms, limited access to education, and a lack of job opportunities.
In light of these statistics, one must ask: why does the public fixate on a TikTok video of a woman, while the brutal realities of women’s lives in Pakistan go largely unnoticed? Imsha Rehman’s case, as disturbing as it is, shines a light on the deeply ingrained misogyny and hypocrisy in Pakistani society.
Victim Blaming and Hypocrisy
While Imsha Rehman’s supporters have defended her, a significant portion of the public has placed the blame on her, accusing her of orchestrating the incident for attention and “cheap publicity.” This is a common response faced by women whose personal lives are exposed without consent. In Pakistan, women who are victims of such breaches of privacy are often blamed for "bringing it upon themselves." The same victim-blaming mentality was seen in the case of fellow TikToker Minahil Malik, whose personal images were leaked earlier this year.
What these women gain from such leaks remains unclear. Public censure, ridicule, and threats are the most likely outcomes, not "cheap publicity." In a conservative, patriarchal society like Pakistan, where women’s rights are constantly undermined, any attempt to engage in the public sphere can lead to severe backlash. The idea that women in Pakistan could intentionally seek such harmful attention is not only misguided but ignores the wider societal context in which these events occur.
A Broader Issue: Women’s Rights and Safety
The case of Imsha Rehman brings into sharp focus a broader issue: the systemic abuse and violence women face in Pakistan. Women’s careers and lives are regularly destroyed by the circulation of deepfake videos or the leaking of private images. These attacks are not just personal violations; they are part of a much larger, deeply rooted culture of misogyny.
Yet, there is little scrutiny on the perpetrators of these crimes. Instead, the focus is almost always on the victim, who is blamed for the incident. Why are there no investigations into those who create or distribute these demeaning images? Why is there no accountability for those who invade women’s privacy and exploit them for malicious purposes?
The Case of Imsha Rehman: A Microcosm of Larger Societal Issues
Imsha Rehman’s case, much like the tragic stories of other women such as Rabi Pirzada and Minahil Malik, highlights a disturbing trend in Pakistani society. Women are not only denied agency over their own bodies and lives but are also subjected to public humiliation when their privacy is violated. The public’s obsession with Rehman’s video speaks volumes about how women’s worth is often reduced to their private lives, while more heinous crimes against them—like the brutal murder of a pregnant woman by her in-laws in Daska, Sialkot—are barely covered or discussed.
In the Daska case, the young woman was not just murdered, but her body was mutilated and disposed of in a horrific manner. Yet, this disturbing incident barely made a blip in the media or on social media. The fact that a viral video of a TikTok influencer receives far more attention than such a brutal crime speaks to the skewed priorities in Pakistani society when it comes to women’s issues.
The Need for Accountability and Change
The treatment of Imsha Rehman, Minahil Malik, and countless other women whose privacy is violated in this manner underscores the urgent need for change in Pakistan. The culture of victim-blaming must end, and those who perpetrate these crimes must be held accountable. More importantly, the public must begin to question its priorities and shift focus from sensationalizing the lives of women on social media to addressing the real issues of gender inequality, violence, and injustice that women face in Pakistan.