A tragic incident has shaken Islamabad as 17-year-old TikToker Sana Yousaf was reportedly shot dead inside her home in Sector G-13/1 on Monday evening. The murder occurred while most of her family members were away, and only her aunt was present at the time of the attack. Sana, who had recently celebrated her birthday, had amassed a following of over 740,000 on TikTok and was considered a rising digital content creator.

Police confirmed that the suspect, a young male believed to have known Sana personally, visited her residence and allegedly fired two bullets at her chest after a brief exchange of words. According to initial police findings, Sana’s aunt overheard the young TikToker telling the assailant, “Go away from here. There are cameras all around. I will fetch you some water,” moments before she was fatally shot.

The incident took place around 5 p.m. while Sana’s father, a government employee, was out for work, and her mother had gone to a nearby market. Her younger brother was in Chitral at the time, having recently completed his school exams. The family lived in the upper portion of the house, where the murder was carried out.

Sana’s body was shifted to PIMS Hospital for a postmortem, while her mother lodged a formal complaint under Section 302 of the Pakistan Penal Code (premeditated murder). In the FIR, Sana’s mother claimed she could identify the suspect if presented.

Police have yet to make an arrest but have initiated a full investigation. Authorities are also reviewing CCTV footage from the area and have assured that all efforts are being made to track down the accused.

This incident is the latest in a disturbing trend of violent attacks against female TikTokers in Pakistan. In recent months:

• A TikToker in Punjab’s Khushab was murdered by her cousin.
• In February, a young woman in Peshawar was found dead under suspicious circumstances.
• In January, a father in Quetta shot his US-born daughter over her social media activity.
• Last year, a similar case in Sialkot saw a brother murder his sister for her presence on TikTok.

These recurring cases highlight growing concerns over the safety of women in the digital public space, where social media influencers — particularly young females — face escalating threats rooted in personal, cultural, or societal disapproval.

As public outrage builds, rights activists are calling for stronger legal safeguards for women using digital platforms and urgent action against those perpetrating or enabling such violence. The investigation into Sana Yousaf’s murder is ongoing, and further developments are expected following the release of the postmortem report and identification of the suspect.