Pakistan court sentences man to death for killing TikTok star Sana Yousaf

A court in Pakistan has sentenced a man to death for the murder of a teenage social media influencer that drew widespread outrage across the country.

Umar Hayat broke into the home of 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf in Islamabad in June last year after she rejected his repeated advances, and shot her dead.

Hayat, now 23, admitted the crime in July. He said he had developed a one-sided obsession with Yousaf after some interactions online.

Yousaf's father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, said the verdict handed down by the Islamabad court was "a lesson for all such criminals in society," local media reported.

During investigations, Hayat said he had traveled to Islamabad days before the killing to wish Yousaf well on her birthday. Despite her refusal to meet him, he made his way to her home, where the two argued and the confrontation ended in the killing, according to Pakistani media.

Yousaf had more than a million followers on TikTok and half a million on Instagram before her death. She was known for her light-hearted content, including fashion trends, lip-syncing to songs, and time spent with friends.

Police raided locations across the capital and the province of Punjab, reviewing footage from 113 CCTV cameras.

While many expressed outrage over Yousaf's death, some backlash emerged toward her work as an influencer. Usama Khilji, director of digital rights advocacy group Bolo Bhi, told the BBC that the criticism came mainly from a small group of mostly male internet users, some citing religious grounds.

"They're asking why she was putting up all this content, and even suggesting the family should take down her Instagram and TikTok accounts because they add to her 'sins,'" Khilji said.