Pakistan’s girls deserve to live free, not die for their visibility

Dubai: The brutal murder of 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf in Islamabad is not just another headline, it is a searing indictment of the dangers facing Pakistani women, especially those who dare to claim visibility in public or online spaces.

Sana, a teenage social media influencer with over a million followers across TikTok and Instagram, was shot dead inside her home, in front of her mother and aunt. Her alleged killer, Omar Hayat, reportedly murdered her after she refused his advances, a chilling, tragically familiar motive in a society where a woman’s autonomy is often treated as provocation.

Pakistan's First Lady

Pakistan’s First Lady and Member of the National Assembly (MNA) Aseefa Bhutto Zardari rightly called it what it is: not only an act of violence but a punishment for saying no. Her words struck at the heart of a long-standing crisis in Pakistan: the violent entitlement of men and the deep-rooted belief that a woman’s refusal is a challenge to male authority.

“There is nothing — no app, no photo, no video — that excuses murder. It’s disturbing to see people using Sana’s TikTok presence to explain away her death. If that’s the logic, are we saying millions of girls across Pakistan are also at risk? This kind of thinking is not just dangerous — it’s inhumane,” she said.

Qandeel Baloch murder

Sana’s murder is not an isolated case. It echoes the 2016 honour killing of social media star and actress Qandeel Baloch, another woman vilified for her online presence, strangled to death by her brother for “dishonouring” the family. Baloch, 26, was murdered after she had caused controversy by posting controversial pictures of herself on social media, including one alongside a Muslim cleric. This was probably the first high profile female influencer murder case in Pakistan.

Too visible, too bold?

In just the past year, teenage girls like Hira Anwar have been murdered by their own fathers for posting TikTok videos. And yet, the response from parts of society remains just as violent in its logic: that somehow these women “brought it upon themselves” by being too visible, too bold, too public. This narrative is not only misogynistic, but also deadly.

The notion that a girl’s presence on social media is reason enough for her murder should terrify every parent, every policymaker, every citizen. If posting a birthday video online is enough to get you killed in your own home, what hope is left for the millions of young Pakistani women who dare to dream in public?

Misogyny

As Aseefa Bhutto-Zardari stated, this is not about apps or videos. It is about power, about control and a culture that still struggles to accept women as autonomous beings. It is about a society that would rather blame the victim than confront the misogyny that leads to her death.

The online abuse that followed Sana’s murder only compounds this injustice. Instead of mourning a young life lost, many rushed to dissect her wardrobe, her videos, her choices further entrenching the idea that women must behave a certain way to be worthy of safety.

Outrage

Women across Pakistan are rightfully outraged. Following Sana’s murder, protests have once again erupted in different cities of Pakistan including the capital Islamabad, with rights groups demanding accountability and protection for women online. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has called for urgent reforms, including algorithm accountability and safer digital spaces. But without broader societal change and without dismantling the idea that a man’s honour is tied to a woman’s obedience, these reforms will not be enough.

Collective reckoning

What we need is a collective reckoning. We need leaders, educators, influencers, and families to stand up and say: no more. No more girls killed for being seen. No more women punished for existing beyond the shadows.

Sana was just 17. She should have been planning for her future, not buried because she dared to live freely.

Her story must not be silenced. For every girl in Pakistan who dreams of more, may her name be a reminder that visibility is not a crime and silence is not an option.