Teenage influencer murdered by adult relative after refusing romantic advances

Sana Yousaf, who had 1.3 million followers, is believed to have been murdered by an adult relative whose romantic advances she rejected.

 Sana Yousaf. (photo credit: INSTAGRAM)
Sana Yousaf.
(photo credit: INSTAGRAM)

Sana Yousaf, a 17-year-old Pakistani social media influencer from the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province with 1.3 million followers across platforms, was shot dead in her home on Monday by a gunman whom she had previously rejected.

The suspect, who has now been arrested according to Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV, was said by the victim’s mother to have entered the property “with the intention to kill,” Dawn reported. 

הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם

‏‎פוסט משותף על ידי ‏‎sana‎‏ (@‏‎sanayousaf22‎‏)‎‏

The suspect is said to have entered the property before firing shots at Yousaf, who was hit by two bullets to the chest. She was later declared dead at a local hospital.

The suspect had a “smart appearance, moderate physique and height” and wore a black shirt and trousers, two witnesses told police.

Motive in the murder against Sana Yousaf

Pakistani and Indian media outlets also probed the possibility that her death was an honor killing, as Sana’s mother is understood to be a well-known women’s rights activist, and Sana posted content about female empowerment, India Today reported.

Islamabad police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi told Al Arabiya that the teenager had been murdered a 22-year-old after she rejected his repeated advances.

“It was a case of repeated rejections. The boy was trying to reach out to her time and again,” Rizvi reportedly stated. “It was a gruesome and cold-blooded murder." 

India Today reported that the 22-year-old suspect was a relative of Yousaf.

Earlier this year, a 15-year-old was murdered by her father and uncle in Quetta in an honor killing related to her use of TikTok, according to local media.

Federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the suspect’s quick arrest, posting on X/Twitter:  “Well done, Islamabad police. Sana Yousaf murder case traced, accused arrested, and weapon recovered within 20 hours.

“The incident occurred yesterday in Islamabad when a young girl was murdered by a masked accused. The accused has been arrested just an hour back. Police has recovered the pistol and the i phone of the deceased girl and accused has confessed the murder as well.” (SIC)