How confronting his haters made Pakman a TikTok star

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Pakman, an up-and-coming gaming influencer, almost abandoned his aspirations in content creation despite consistently streaming daily for four years. Now boasting a massive following of over 1 million on TikTok, he shared with us about his path to fame and his future ambitions as part of TopMob’s series “Rising Stars: The Road to Stardom.

Originally from Canada, Taha ‘Pakman’ Khokhar currently resides in Dubai, aspiring to be recognized as the leading figure in gaming within the region. Despite savoring the rewards of his accomplishments at present, his emerging status as a gaming prodigy is a result of years dedicated to tireless effort.

As a kid, Pakman shared that he had a deep affection for video games and enjoyed watching content creators, particularly admiring the team at Machinima. Unbeknownst to him, his future would be linked to this very same company. It was all set in motion by a particular gift from his father.

He shared that he’s spent most of his life playing games, ranging from Sonic and Mario to Crash Bandicoot during his childhood. Around 2009, he found himself deeply engrossed in Call of Duty. His father gifted him a Dazzle, an old PVR device, which sparked his interest. At that point, he decided on the spot, “I think I’ll create content.

Initially, I began creating content based on Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. The more I engaged with it, the stronger my affection grew, leading to video production. Despite minimal viewership, it was an enjoyable experience that made me feel like my favorite YouTubers back then – primarily the Machinima team members.

During the mid-2010s, Pakman transitioned his online content from simple gameplay and commentary to creating ‘Top 5 Plays’ lists, which caught Machinima’s attention. Unfortunately, for some personal matters, he had to take a break from the internet for several years, but he never stopped playing games.

Pakman streamed every day for 4 years straight

Amidst the worldwide health emergency in 2020, Pakman opted to revert to producing gaming content again. Despite his parents’ backing, their traditional viewpoints conflicted with his aspirations for this career path.

For the past four and a half years, I’ve been expressing my determination: “I’m going to dedicate myself to content creation and make this venture successful.” However, most people weren’t convinced. The only ones who believed in me were my family members. Even their support came with challenges. Due to a situation at home, I was asked to either find employment or leave the house, as they said: “As long as you live here, find work or move out.

Instead of leaving due to hostility or any specific reason, it was simply because my parents were raised in a different time period. They failed to grasp the concept of earning money by playing video games online. Consequently, I bid farewell to our home just two days later, persisting in pursuit of my dream.

Pakman treated the warning as significant and threw himself wholeheartedly into achieving his objective. From November 2020 to April 2021, he broadcasted daily, attended online classes for a cyber security degree five days a week, and worked six days a week at an automobile dealership. His demanding timetable implied that he was compromising on his health, confessing that he had been surviving on “three hours of sleep a night for six months.

He chuckled, admitting it had been quite challenging, but added that it led to many positive outcomes. It turned out to be an opportunity for others to notice my dedication and hard work.

How one video changed Pakman’s life forever

After six months of tireless effort, Pakman was finally able to switch to being a full-time content creator following his layoff during the pandemic. For the last four years, he had been dedicating most of his time to this career, often streaming daily.

To many, this task may appear overwhelmingly massive, but Pakman expresses his deep passion for creating content such that he rarely feels apprehensive about broadcasting. Yet, at one juncture, he contemplated abandoning this journey following a period of stagnation.

Initially, when I hadn’t fully committed yet, around the fifth month, there came a time when I felt utterly drained. I was exhausted, struggling to sleep, struggling to accomplish anything. It felt like I was stuck in a rut with no progress. That evening, I thought, “You know what? Forget it. One more challenge. Let me pour my heart and soul into this video.

That night, I barely slept at all; instead, I invested a good amount of time in editing and posting a video. Not long after, I dozed off – but not for long! When I awoke an hour later, my screen was flooded with notifications. That’s when the video really took off.

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A post shared by Taha “Pakman” Khokhar (@pakmanfps)

Pakman becomes Dubai Police’s first-ever gaming ambassador

As a devoted fan, I’d say the video that catapulted him to stardom as ‘Pakman’ was essentially his response to the naysayers, a bold statement delivered right in the face of online criticism. Since then, he has amassed quite an impressive following, boasting 25,000 subscribers on YouTube, 1.4 million followers on TikTok, and a whopping 67,000 followers on Twitch, where he showcases a diverse range of shooting games such as Counter-Strike and Call of Duty.

His main ambition is to be recognized as a prominent figure within gaming across the Middle East; however, he equally prioritizes providing for his loved ones, especially indulging his father.

He expressed that a significant factor was being highly motivated, to the extent that he felt driven not just for personal reasons, but also for his family – his wife, parents, and siblings. His aim was to provide them with a good life, which has always been, and continues to be, his major goal.

As a gamer, I yearn to reach a stage in life where I can repay the endless sacrifices my dad has made for us. He’s been our rock, providing us with all we need, and I aspire to return that favor someday. Life is unpredictable, and I never know when that day might come when he might not be with us. My goal is to get to a point where I can provide him with everything he desires as a token of my gratitude.

After that, Pakman assumed the role as the initial gaming advocate for the Dubai Police force. In this capacity, he assists in enhancing the gaming scene within the nation by backing their sponsored esports competitions featuring titles such as Street Fighter 6, Fortnite, Counter-Strike and others.

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A post shared by The Traitors Canada (@thetraitorscanada)

Apart from appearing on the Canadian adaptation of ‘The Traitors,’ a popular reality TV show, he aspires to secure additional roles, both scripted and unscripted, in television series down the line. As an aspiring content creator, he is convinced that perseverance and commitment are key ingredients for achieving success – a sentiment he shared with fellow rising stars in his recent statement.

He recommended being authentic. Avoid pretending to be someone else on social media or any platform, as it’s hard to maintain this persona consistently. Instead, just be who you truly are. That way, if someone encounters you, whether it’s on a good or bad day, they will still see the real you.

Persevere through it all. Let not malice sway you. Shield yourself against the harmful negativity, for remember, nobody else but you holds the key to your dreams’ realization. The hurdle that truly stands in your way is yourself.

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2025-01-11 16:18