ISLAMABAD: A Pakistani court on Tuesday sentenced 23-year-old Umar Hayat to death for the murder of teenage TikTok and Instagram influencer Sana Yousaf, a case that sparked nationwide debate over women’s safety and violence linked to social media.
Sana, 17, was shot dead at her Islamabad home on June 2 last year. Speaking outside the court, her father Hassan Yousaf welcomed the verdict, saying it sent a strong message to criminals involved in such acts.
Police arrested Hayat in Faisalabad within 20 hours of the killing. Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi had earlier described the case as one driven by “repeated rejections”.
According to investigators, Hayat developed a one-sided obsession with Sana after interacting with her online. He reportedly travelled to Islamabad to meet her around her birthday, but she refused to see him. Police said the two later agreed to meet on June 2, when Hayat arrived carrying a pistol.
Authorities said an argument broke out inside Sana’s house before she was shot, with her mother and aunt witnessing the incident.
Rights activists say the murder reflects a wider culture of violence against women in Pakistan, particularly those active on social media platforms.
