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Pakistan court sentences man to death for killing teen influencer Sana Yousaf
The murder of 17-year-old Sana Yousaf reignited conversations around women’s safety, online harassment, and victim-blaming on social media
- PUBLISHED: Thu 21 May 2026, 10:45 AM
A court in Pakistan on Tuesday, May 19, sentenced a 22-year-old man to death for the murder of teenage TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf, whose killing last year sparked outrage and renewed conversations around women’s safety and misogyny online.
According to AFP, a judge in Islamabad sentenced Umar Hayat to death and imposed a fine of $7,200 during a court hearing on Tuesday.
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Police and Yousaf’s family said Hayat shot the 17-year-old content creator at her home after she repeatedly rejected his advances.
Yousaf, who was known for her lifestyle and fashion content, had built a large following on social media, where she regularly shared videos about skincare, food, and snippets from her daily life. She had also openly discussed relationship struggles.
The shooting took place at her home in Islamabad’s G-13 sector in June 2025. According to police, the suspect had visited her residence before opening fire and fleeing the scene. Yousaf later succumbed to her injuries.
Authorities launched a manhunt following the incident and later arrested Hayat, who police said had been loitering outside her home for several hours before the attack.
“It was a case of repeated rejections. The boy was trying to reach out to her time and again,” Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi had said during a press conference following the arrest.
“It was a gruesome and cold-blooded murder,” he added.
Her death triggered widespread condemnation online, with many social media users mourning the teenager and calling for justice. However, the case also exposed a darker side of online discourse, as some comments blamed Yousaf for her own killing.
Following Tuesday’s sentencing, fresh comments appeared under her final posts, with users writing messages such as “Finally justice is served.”
The case reignited conversations around online harassment, victim-blaming, and the abuse faced by female influencers and public figures on social media.
Waad Barakat is a Special Correspondent covering security topics, from law enforcement to local courts. With a keen eye for human interest stories, she hopes to blend it all with unique Gen Z-inspired content.