Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old TikTok influencer with more than a million followers, was murdered in her family’s home in late June. Sana wowed her followers with dynamic content showing off her favorite coffee shops, beauty regimens, and cultural wear. She became such a big deal almost overnight with the fashion and lifestyle influencer community on social media. Her tragic death has sparked outrage throughout Pakistan and revived debate over the safety of women in the country.
As one unnamed local official put it, this was a “most gruesome, most cold-blooded act.” As a result, the police arrested Hareem’s cousin, 22-year-old Umar Hayat, alleging that he had been stalking Sana in the months leading up to the event. Internal documents indicate that Umar was turned down by Sana on several occasions. This political strife and unrest would eventually result in her untimely death.
Rising Star on Social Media
Sana Yousaf became popular for documenting her life on the TikTok app, giving people a glimpse into her everyday experiences and passion for fashion. Her rise has resulted in more than a million followers across social platforms. With her down-to-earth, stylish education and transformation predicated content, she reels her audiences in every day. Her videos often featured visits to trendy cafes, beauty tips, and showcases of traditional attire, making her a beloved figure among young viewers.
Her virality on TikTok highlights the popular app’s enormous reach in Pakistan, where authorities have sought to ban the platform repeatedly. Most importantly, it engages a wide range of demographic, even the illiterate. It’s this format that has dozens of young people scroll and swipe every day, digesting and producing new content in seconds. Sadly, Sana’s rise to fame attracted the attention of people like Umar Hayat.
A Gruesome Crime and its Aftermath
Along with the brutality of Sana Yousaf’s murder, it’s the nature that has outraged people across the country. Human rights activists have said her case is representative of wider problems around violence against women in Pakistan. Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission has noted that hundreds of women face violence for simply rejecting a marriage offer. These are ominously symbolic deaths, calling attention to the deadly gender-based misogynistic norms that traverse our society.
Yet online commentary after her passing has been incredibly divisive on both sides. Some users have suggested that Sana’s visibility on social media made her a target, while others inappropriately placed blame on her for the circumstances surrounding her murder. This reaction is a convenient backdrop that only emphasizes the problematic societal narratives often at play in matters of persistently lethal violence against women.
Legal Proceedings
Umar Hayat during a hearing at Islamabad’s district court last week. There, he entered a not guilty plea to the charges on which he was held. Everyone in the nation who cares about racial justice and police accountability is watching this important legal proceeding unfold. It remains the focus of interest for national and global communities. Women’s activists are taking advantage of this opportunity to demand better protections for women and more accountability for violence against them.
