Cricket, TV shows, food trends and travel searches dominated TikTok in 2025, | The Express Tribune
As the year comes to a close, TikTok has released its list of the most searched topics in Pakistan in 2025, offering a clear sense of what dominated public attention over the past twelve months. The searches reflect a mix of major national moments and everyday interests, highlighting how the platform is increasingly used as a place to look things up, not just scroll through content.
Cricket continued to drive some of the biggest spikes in search activity. Babar Azam remained the most searched sportsperson, with interest peaking around discussions of his 100th century. High-profile fixtures such as Pakistan v India and Pakistan v South Africa also ranked among the top searches, underlining how cricket conversations now unfold alongside short clips, reactions and commentary shared across the platform.
Travel emerged as another major area of interest. Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi featured among the most searched places, while locations such as Altit Fort Hunza and the Chenab River pointed to a growing curiosity about local destinations. Many of these searches were tied to planning and discovery, with users turning to creator-led reviews and recommendations before making travel decisions.
Food searches reflected both comfort and trend-driven curiosity. Biryani remained a consistent favourite, but newer trends such as lava burgers, Dubai chocolate and matcha drinks also gained traction. The mix suggests that TikTok has become a key space for discovering food trends and deciding what is worth trying.
Entertainment searches remained strong throughout the year. Turkish series continued to attract attention, alongside local productions such as Tamasha, Meri Bahuein and Mein Manto Nahi Hoon. Events like the Hum Awards 2025 also ranked highly, indicating sustained interest in television and award culture. Music discovery was shaped by viral tracks including Jhol by Maanu and Annural Khalid and Ranjheya Ve by Zain Zohaib, while musicians such as Talha Anjum, Hassan Raheem and Ali Zafar featured prominently in searches.
TikTok creators and showbiz figures also drew consistent interest. Names like Jannat Mirza, Kanwal Aftab and Sid Mr Rapper were among the most searched creators, while actors including Mahira Khan, Fahad Mustafa and Imran Ashraf featured strongly in celebrity-related queries.
Beyond entertainment, the data points to a rise in practical searches. Product reviews, software updates, mehndi designs and AI-related queries were among notable trends, suggesting that users are increasingly relying on TikTok to answer everyday questions quickly and in a local context.
According to TikTok, interest-based searches grew significantly over the year, with notable increases in searches linked to fitness, study, travel and food content. The company says this reflects how users are actively seeking content aligned with their interests rather than passively consuming what appears on their feeds.
Taken together, TikTok’s 2025 search trends offer a snapshot of a year shaped by shared cultural moments and everyday needs, showing how the platform has become embedded in how Pakistanis follow events, make decisions and discover what’s next.
