Who was Sana Yousaf, 17-year-old Pakistani influencer shot dead at home?
Sana Yousaf, 17, was shot dead in her Islamabad home by a visiting relative. Police are probing rejected advances and honour killing as possible motives
 "Who was Sana Yousaf, 17-year-old Pakistani influencer shot dead at home?")
A 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf was shot dead at her home in Islamabad on Monday (June 2) evening. According to reports, the alleged shooter was a relative who had been visiting as a guest.
Sana, a popular content creator hailing from Upper Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, was shot twice at point-blank range in front of her mother and aunt. Local media reported that the assailant fled immediately after the shooting. “The killer reportedly entered the house and opened fire before fleeing,” a police official told Pakistani media.
She died on the spot. Her body was later moved to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for autopsy.
On Tuesday, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirmed the arrest of the primary suspect. The police recovered the murder weapon and Sana’s mobile phone. “The suspect has confessed to the killing,” Naqvi was quoted as saying in multiple Pakistani news outlets.
Islamabad’s Inspector General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi revealed that the accused is a 22-year-old man who allegedly murdered Sana after repeated advances were turned down. Authorities are also exploring the possibility of an ‘honour killing’, though all motives remain under investigation.
About Sana Yousaf
Sana Yousaf was born on June 2, 2008, and was the daughter of a social activist. While there aren't enough official details about her education, social media users claim she was a first-year medical student.
A day before the tragedy, Sana celebrated her birthday. A video of her birthday celebration has since gone viral.
Social media outrage over Sana Yousaf's death
As news of her death spread, the internet erupted with grief, shock, and calls for justice. The hashtag #JusticeForSanaYousaf began trending across platforms like X and Instagram.
One user wrote on X, “Sana Yousaf’s murder isn’t just a crime — it’s a symptom of Pakistan’s moral collapse. A 17-year-old girl butchered in her own home in the capital proves one thing: Women in Pakistan are not citizens; they are prey.”
Others urged people to show restraint and avoid sharing her personal videos in the aftermath.
Grief meets cultural rot
“May Allah forgive Sana Yousaf and grant her Jannah. Demand justice, but don’t share her content. Also, stop the slander. Islam teaches us not to speak ill of the dead. #SanaYousaf,” posted another user.
Many also condemned the disturbing cultural narratives that sometimes surround such killings.
“A 17-year-old girl was brutally murdered, and people are writing ‘MashaAllah’ for her killer, defending outdated notions of honour. What a disgraceful society we’re living in!” read one comment.
A pattern of violence against women in Pakistan
Sana’s killing has evoked painful memories of other high-profile attacks on young women in Pakistan, including the 2012 shooting of Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban for advocating girls’ education.
This isn’t an isolated case either. Earlier this year, another man killed his teenage daughter in Pakistan over her TikTok presence after returning from the United States. He initially blamed unknown attackers.