Pakistani teen TikTok star murder case: Suspect indicted

Dubai: A 22-year-old Pakistani man has been formally indicted for the murder of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, who was shot dead in her home after repeatedly rejecting his marriage proposals.

The accused, Umar Hayat, appeared before Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka in Islamabad on Saturday and pleaded not guilty, insisting that the charges were “false and baseless.”

Investigators, however, have described the killing as “brutal and carried out in cold blood.”

Sana Yousaf, a TikTok influencer with over a million followers, was known for her videos about coffee, beauty, and traditional clothing. Police say Hayat killed her in June after persistent online advances were ignored.

During the hearing, Judge Majoka asked Hayat if he had committed the murder. The accused denied the allegations and claimed he was falsely accused. The court also noted that he had allegedly taken Yousaf’s mobile phone following the killing. The case has been adjourned until September 25.

What happend

Hayat was arrested on June 3, a day after Sana was shot at her residence in Islamabad’s G-13 sector. According to an FIR filed by Sana’s mother, Farzana Yousaf, a man entered their home with a pistol and shot her daughter intentionally. Authorities later recovered the weapon and Sana’s phone, which Hayat had taken to erase evidence, according to media reports.

In a confessional statement submitted to the court, Hayat admitted developing a one-sided obsession with Sana through social media. He revealed that jealousy and suspicion drove him to commit the murder. Hayat admitted travelling to Islamabad on June 2 with a firearm, forcing entry into her home, shooting her in front of her mother and aunt, and fleeing afterward.

Deeply ashamed

Following a recent hearing, Hayat reportedly expressed remorse, telling the magistrate he felt “deeply ashamed” for taking the life of an innocent teenager.

The killing has sparked widespread outrage online, with activists condemning the crime and the victim-blaming that followed.

This case follows other high-profile tragedies, including the 2021 murder of Noor Mukadam, who was killed after refusing a marriage proposal.