The 17-year-old TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf was shot dead inside her home in Islamabad, Pakistan. According to police, the 22-year-old suspect had raped her several times before the crime. Sana had just celebrated her birthday last week.
Sana has over 800,000 followers on TikTok, where she posts lip-sync videos, beauty tips, and promos for skincare products. Her last uploaded video was of her birthday celebration, hours before she was killed.
According to Police Chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi, “This is a clear case of repeated refusal. The man tried to contact her several times.” He called it a "gruesome and cold-blooded murder."
While many mourn, some online comments are judging Sana for her social media activism—a sign of the pervasive negative view of women in conservative society. According to women's rights activist Nighat Dad, this mindset is fueling violence against women.
This is not the first time a woman has been attacked after rejecting a man in Pakistan. Calls for protection and justice for women continue, especially those like Sana who have chosen to be visible and vocal online.
