Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old TikTok influencer, was shot dead in her Islamabad home on 2 Jun 2025.
She had more than 800,000 followers before her murder. That figure has since grown to 1.5 million followers as of 6 June 2025.
Umar Hayat, a 22-year-old unemployed man from Faisalabad, Punjab, broke into Yousaf’s home and shot her twice in the chest.
TikTok Star Murdered at Home After Rejecting Friendship Offer
It is believed the two have known each other for approximately a year.
Hayat travelled to Islamabad between 28 and 29 May to wish Yousaf a happy birthday. The pair spoke over the phone and agreed to meet on 2 Jun, but when Hayat arrived at her home, Yousaf did not come out.
Hayat then broke into her home to confront her. An argument ensued, eventually leading to Hayat shooting the teen in the chest twice.
Before fleeing the home, Hayat threatened the victim’s aunt and took Yousaf’s phone with him. Police believe he had done so to destroy evidence.
Yousaf succumbed to her injuries before she could reach the hospital.
Police Arrest Suspect Within 20 Hours Using CCTV Footage
Authorities launched a manhunt after news of the murder broke. They used footage from 113 CCTV cameras and raided multiple locations across Islamabad in search of the killer.
Police announced they had found and arrested the suspect within 20 hours of the murder on 3 Jun. They recovered both the murder weapon and the victim’s stolen phone.
The suspect made his first court appearance on 4 Jun 2025. TV footage showed Hayat with his face covered as he was brought to court. Police requested additional time to complete their investigation and file formal murder charges.
The judge ordered that Hayat be presented again on 18 Jun 2025 for pretrial proceedings. Hayat, who also creates content on TikTok, has admitted to the murder.
Victim Known for Promoting Chitrali Culture and Education
Yousaf was originally from Chitral, a scenic northern region of Pakistan. She was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls’ education.
Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends. Her final upload was a montage of her and her friends on her birthday.
Her TikTok account had 1.5 million followers at the time of writing, gaining thousands of followers after her death. TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of them young women and teenagers.
Violence against women is pervasive in Pakistan. It is not uncommon for women to get attacked for rejecting marriage.
Public reaction to Yousaf’s murder included condolences from many users. Some netizens, mostly male, also took the opportunity to criticise the girl for her influencer content.
A digital rights activist said: “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’.”
Others say it is a sign of positive change that authorities are now publicly condemning incidents like these.
Yousaf’s body has been buried in the Pakistani city of Chitral.
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