Popular Pakistani TikTok celebrity Sana Yousaf was shot dead at her Islamabad home on June 2—hours following a birthday video she posted on the platform, wishing herself a happy 17th year.
The birthday video, which was posted on Instagram as well as TikTok, included the young actress cutting her cake, eating out, and partying with her friends. Against the background music of ‘Lutt Putt Gaya’ from Shah Rukh Khan’s film Dunki, Sana was seen looking happy, wearing a brown skirt and matching top, laughing and smiling in the video.
According to USA Today, Sana had celebrated her birthday on May 29, but the video was only uploaded shortly before her untimely death. Since then, her final post has been inundated with emotional messages and condolences from heartbroken fans. The influencer had amassed over a million followers across her social media platforms.
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Details of the Incident
Islamabad Police confirmed Sana had been shot at home in front of her mother. The killing on June 2 shocked Pakistan, provoking widespread condemnation.
The police nabbed Umar Hayat, a 22-year-old man, who had taken to flight from the capital and was subsequently found in Faisalabad, over 300 kilometers from the site of the crime.
Obsession and Rejection Led to the Killing
At a May 3 press conference, Islamabad Inspector General (IG) Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi called the murder ‘cold-blooded’ and ‘gruesome’. He said Umar Hayat had been infatuated with Sana and had tried repeatedly to reach out to her after being rebuffed.
Umar had visited her birthday party on May 29 hoping to meet her but also failed. “He attempted to meet her for seven to eight hours but couldn’t,” IG Rizvi said.
During the day that she was murdered, Umar again lingered outside her apartment for hours. After being repeatedly turned away, he broke into the house and assassinated Sana, killing the teen sensation who had earned millions of followers on social media.
