Who is Sana Yousaf? The 17-year-old Pakistani influencer shot dead in Islamabad

A 17-year-old Pakistani social media influencer, Sana Yousaf, was shot dead at her home in Islamabad on Monday evening, allegedly by a relative visiting as a guest.

Sana, a well-known content creator from Upper Chitral in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was shot twice at close range in front of her mother and aunt, as per reports. The assailant, an unidentified man at the time, fled the scene. She died on the spot, according to local media reports.

"The killer reportedly entered the house and opened fire before fleeing," a police official told Pakistani media. Her body was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a post-mortem.

On Tuesday, Pakistani media quoted Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi confirming the arrest of the prime suspect. Police recovered the murder weapon and Sana's mobile phone. According to Naqvi, the suspect confessed to the killing.

Islamabad Inspector General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said the suspect is a 22-year-old man who allegedly murdered Sana after she repeatedly rejected his advances. Police are investigating all possible motives, including the possibility of an honour killing, according to reports.

Born on June 2, 2008, Sana was the daughter of a well-known social activist. Some social media users claimed she was a first-year medical student.

A video of her celebrating her birthday just a day earlier is now circulating widely on social media.

A quick look at her social media profile reveals a typical teenage girl sharing everyday moments, funny clips, promotional content, and cultural celebrations. Her content often focused on daily life, Chitral's traditions, women's rights, education, and motivational messages for youth. She had over 500,000 followers on Instagram and more than 400,000 on TikTok.

Following the news of her killing, social media was flooded with demands for justice. The hashtag #JusticeForSanaYousaf trended on Instagram and X.

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."

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 city, proves one thing: Women in Pakistan are not citizens; they are prey. Where are the 'ghairat brigade' now? pic.twitter.com/L6yH3hkEdt— Akram Shan (@shanakram143) June 3, 2025

While many mourned her loss, others took to social media to preach restraint and respect.

Another user wrote: "Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. 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"

Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji’un. May Allah forgive Sana Yousaf and grant her Jannah. Demand justice, but don’t share her content. Also, stop the slander learn to hold your tongue, Islam teaches that too. Put differences aside. Don’t speak ill of the dead. #sanayousaf pic.twitter.com/HCpat2q2Xn— Muhammad Abdullah (@thestrangersay) June 2, 2025

Another post condemned the mindset behind 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!"

A 17 year old girl was murdered brutally and the people with sick mentality are writing "MashaAllah" for murderers and supporting hypocritical notions of honor. What a disgraceful society we're living in! #sanayousaf pic.twitter.com/R5rcd5y5Ep— Dr Fatima Anwar (@Fatima_Writes_) June 3, 2025

Sana's murder has drawn comparisons to the 2012 shooting of Malala Yousafzai, who was targeted by the Taliban for advocating girls' education.

Tragically, this is not an isolated case. Earlier this year, a man in Pakistan killed his teenage daughter over her TikTok activity after relocating from the United States. He initially claimed unknown attackers were responsible.