The murder of 17-year-old TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf shocked Pakistan and the world. Nearly a year on, her grieving mother is still fighting for justice, and her pain has not lessened.
On 2 June 2025, Sana was fatally shot at her home in Islamabad. She was a second-year student who had just turned 17. A 22-year-old man named Umar Hayat entered her residence armed with a pistol and, after a confrontation, fatally shot her twice in the chest. Hayat’s reported motive was that she had rejected his offers of friendship.
Nearly a year after the murder, Sana’s mother says they are still waiting for justice. She has revealed that during this time she tried to commit suicide many times. She said, “I die every day and live every day. I cannot live without my daughter, but then I think no, I have to get justice for my daughter.”
Sana’s mother said her daughter’s only fault was that she refused, which the accused could not tolerate, and he killed her in front of her eyes.
Alongside the grief, rage has simmered among women across Pakistan, who are demanding justice for Sana, pointing to a broader crisis of gender-based violence in the country.
Sana had used her social media presence to promote Chitrali culture and advocate for girls’ education. She aspired to pursue a career in medicine to serve the people of Pakistan. Her story is a painful reminder of the dangers many young women in Pakistan still face.
