Key Takeaways
- TikTok LIVE is not officially available in Pakistan.
- PTA has not imposed a ban on TikTok LIVE; it remains region-restricted by the platform itself.
- Users attempting to access TikTok LIVE through unofficial means are doing so illegally.
Recent reports and social media posts have claimed that TikTok’s live streaming feature, known as TikTok LIVE, has been banned in Pakistan. However, these claims are misleading according to senior sources who confirmed to ProPakistani. The main TikTok app operates normally in the country, but the LIVE feature is region-restricted by TikTok and has never been launched for Pakistani users.
When TikTok’s main application was restored after previous suspensions in Pakistan, one of the key understandings was that the LIVE feature would remain unavailable to local users. This restriction is a platform-level decision rather than an action taken by the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).
Sources also noted that if individuals are earning and withdrawing revenue from TikTok LIVE despite this restriction, they are doing so through illegal means. In such cases, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) could step in to examine or restrict any unchecked inflow of funds from foreign sources.
TikTok has previously clarified that LIVE is not supported in Pakistan. Users who appear to be streaming from within the country are generally accessing the feature through unofficial or unauthorized hacks such as using a foreign SIM card, removing their local SIM and connecting via a Virtual Private Network (VPN), or using modified versions of the TikTok application.
ProPakistani spoke with multiple content creators and industry sources who revealed that some influencers use various workarounds to access TikTok LIVE. These include operating from Pakistan while using a foreign SIM card, removing their local SIM and connecting through a VPN, or using modified versions of the TikTok app.
It is important to note that there is no evidence suggesting that a phone’s PTA registration status determines whether TikTok LIVE is available. A phone with an unregistered International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) does not automatically gain access to the feature.
The provincial assemblies’ recent resolutions calling for a nationwide ban on TikTok do not affect the availability of TikTok LIVE, as it was never officially launched in Pakistan. The feature remains unavailable because TikTok has not enabled it for users in the country.
