A 17-year-old social media personality, Sana Yousaf, was killed by a man named Umar Hayat after she simply turned down his friendship proposal.
Police have arrested the accused, who has reportedly confessed to the murder.
The court has now sent him on a 14-day judicial remand.
He had allegedly fled Islamabad after committing the crime and was tracked through digital forensics and CCTV footage.
After committing the crime, he fled with her mobile phone, allegedly to erase all digital evidence of his contact with her but the phone has now been recovered.
According to police, he was from Faisalabad and is 22-year-old.
“The culprit wanted to establish contact with the social media influencer and become friends with her”, said Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi.
IG Rizvi noted that the man had “tried his best to contact” Sana on her birthday on May 29. “He reached her home and tried to meet her for seven to eight hours but failed.”
The officer added that yesterday, the culprit made another similar attempt for the same amount of time but could not succeed. “First, it was a cellular rejection. Now, it was a physical mode of rejection.”
Social media reacts to Sana Yousaf
Social media has expressed shock and sadness over her tragic death, some online reactions have sparked controversy.
News of Sana’s death triggered widespread anger and sorrow on social media. Hashtags like #JusticeForSanaYousaf and #StopHonourKillings began trending on X (formerly Twitter).
Women’s rights group Aurat March Pakistan issued a strong statement: “The murder of Sana Yousaf is not just a personal tragedy—it is a reflection of a systemic failure to protect women who dare to live with autonomy and pride.”
There is rising concern that women who find digital fame face increasing danger, especially in conservative communities.
