A teenage TikTok star was tragically shot and killed in her home after a man reportedly broke into her property.
Sana Yousaf, 17, who had more than 500,000 followers on Instagram and was on the rise as one of Pakistan’s most recognizable young faces online, was gunned down in her Islamabad home on Monday, per BBC News.
Police say the suspected killer, 22-year-old Umar Hayat, confessed to the brutal murder after being arrested in Pakistan.
According to authorities, Hayat targeted Sana after she repeatedly rejected his “offers of friendship”.
Police allege that Hayat had tried - and failed - to meet her several times before he broke into her home, shot her twice, stole her phone, and fled.
Sana’s father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, told the BBC that his daughter had never once mentioned Hayat or voiced any concerns about being threatened.
“She was very brave,” he said. Sana was his only daughter.
On the day of the attack, Sana’s aunt was reportedly at the house and witnessed the horror unfold. According to Mr. Yousaf, Hayat also threatened to shoot the aunt before running away. Sana died before she could be taken to the hospital, per the New York Post.
The family has since buried her in Chitral, as the country reels from the shocking loss of one of its rising stars.
Police described the crime as “brutal” and said it caused “a wave of concern” across Pakistan. Investigators were under “immense” pressure to track down the killer, and they didn’t hold back in the hunt.
Authorities raided multiple locations across Islamabad and the Punjab province and scoured footage from 113 different CCTV cameras. The efforts paid off - police recovered the suspected murder weapon and Sana’s stolen phone.
The suspect, Umar Hayat, is the son of a former public servant and is from Faisalabad, Punjab, police confirmed.
Despite being in custody, Hayat’s case is far from closed, as Sana’s death has reignited heated conversations about women’s safety - and women’s freedom - on social media.
In the wake of her death, Sana’s online presence has exploded. Her TikTok following skyrocketed to over a million, and her final Instagram post - a birthday celebration surrounded by balloons and cake - has become a digital memorial, flooded with tributes.
But not all the reactions have been compassionate.
While many have expressed outrage and heartbreak, others have turned their attention toward shaming Sana for her work as an influencer.
Digital rights group Bolo Bhi has been tracking the backlash. Its director, Usama Khilji, said the harsh criticism is largely coming from a small but vocal group of male internet users.
“They're asking why she was putting up all this content, and even suggesting the family should take down her Instagram and TikTok accounts because they add to her 'sins',” Khilji explained.
Dr. Farzana Bari, a respected human rights activist, called the backlash exactly what it is: “misogynistic” and “patriarchal.”
She praised Sana for having “her own voice,” but warned that the reaction to her death is a stark reminder of just how hostile social media can be for women in Pakistan.
“Social media has become a very threatening place for female content creators,” she said.
However, Dr. Bari also pointed out one hopeful sign: government officials publicly condemned the attack.
Islamabad’s Inspector General of Police, Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, stood in support of Sana and women like her, saying: “Women who choose to become social media influencers deserve our encouragement and support.” He called her murder “tragic”.
Dr. Bari believes that this official stance could signal the start of much-needed cultural change.