A court in Pakistan has sentenced a 23-year-old man to death for the murder of teenage social media influencer Sana Yousaf, a case that drew widespread attention across the country, the BBC reported.
According to court findings, Umar Hayat, 23, was stalking 17-year-old Yousaf online and near her house in Islamabad before breaking into the home in June last year. After an argument with the girl, he shot her dead. Later, Hayat admitted to the crime, explaining that he had followed her online and had become obsessed with Yousaf over time.
In addition, the court ordered Hayat to pay 2.5 million Pakistani rupees ($9,000) in compensation to Yousaf’s family.
Yousaf had more than a million followers on TikTok and was known for posting fashion, lip-sync and lifestyle content. Her father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, said the verdict must be a warning to others who commit similar crimes.
According to human-rights activists, violence against women is not rare in Pakistan and the killing of Yousaf is part of this trend.
