Hyderabad: 

In a heartbreaking turn of events, 17-year-old TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf was shot dead in her home in Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday, according to reports from news agencies. It happened in Sector G-13, under the jurisdiction of the Sumbal police station. Sana, originally from Upper Chitral in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, rose to fame on TikTok and garnered thousands of followers on the app.

Police reports indicate that an unknown assailant came to Sana's home and shot her at point-blank range before fleeing the crime scene. According to a news portal, the suspect may have been a guest visiting Sana at the time. The motive behind the shooting is still unclear.

 Sana's remains were transferred to Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for an autopsy. Authorities have initiated a manhunt for the suspect. No arrests have been made thus far, and the investigation remains underway.

The killing has received backlash on social media, with many people looking for justice for Sana and both with #JusticeForSana & #ArrestHim both trending on social media. This killing is part of a larger, troubling pattern of deadly violence directed at young social media influencers in Pakistan.

Just this year, a 15-year-old girl called Hira was shot dead in Quetta in an apparent honour killing. Hira's father and uncle allegedly killed her, due to their disapproval with her presence on TikTok. Both went to the police and confessed to the killing. The trend of violence against young female content creators is extremely worrying for their safety, as well as their right to free expression in their country.

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