TikTok star Sana Yousaf shot dead after birthday party
TikTok Star Sana Yousaf Shot Dead Hours After Birthday Celebration
Popular TikTok creator Sana Yousaf was tragically shot dead just hours after celebrating her 17th birthday. The young star was reportedly killed at her home in Islamabad, Pakistan, by a 22-year-old man who had been stalking her.
Last Birthday Moments Captured on Video
In her final video, Sana was seen smiling and cutting a pink and white cake under a balloon arch. The video, posted to her TikTok, quickly went viral after her death, with fans expressing shock and heartbreak in the comments. She had more than 800,000 followers on TikTok, where she shared beauty tips, lip-sync videos, and product promotions.
A Case of Repeated Rejection Turned Deadly
Police confirmed the suspect had been lingering outside Sana’s house for hours before the murder. Authorities say he had been repeatedly rejected by Sana and described the killing as “cold-blooded and gruesome.”
It was her birthday ????????RiP , no one is safe in Pakistan ????Islamabad is no longer safe for anyone. Today, TikToker Sana Yousaf was k!lled in her own home by an unknown attacker. Deeply saddened to hear about Sana.#SanaYousaf pic.twitter.com/L5WMziqKXQ
— IQRA???? (@iqrytweets) June 2, 2025
Islamabad Police Chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi said during a press briefing, “It was a case of repeated rejections. The boy was trying to reach out to her again and again.”
Grief from the Influencer Community
Tributes poured in from fans and fellow creators. Influencer Waliya Najib commented, “You were glowing, just being 17. I’m so sorry this world didn’t protect you.”
UK-based TikTok creator Kashaf Ali wrote, “A literal 17-year-old with so much innocence, killed for what?”
A Bigger Issue: Violence Against Women in Pakistan
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, violence against women remains a major concern. Rejection-related attacks and so-called “honor killings” are still alarmingly common. Every year, an estimated 1,000 women are murdered in Pakistan in the name of honor.
In a similar case earlier this year, a Pakistani-American father was arrested for killing his 15-year-old daughter for posting on TikTok.
A Call for Change
In 2018, Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission said, “Patriarchy and the violence it brings has no place in any society that wishes to call itself civilized.”
Sana Yousaf’s death has become a painful reminder of the risks women and girls face, both online and offline.
