Teenage TikToker shot dead in her home in Pakistan

A Pakistani teenage social media influencer was shot dead in her house on Monday.

Sana Yousaf, 17, originally from Chitral in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, was a popular figure on TikTok and Instagram, with a combined follower count of at least 1.3 million.

Pakistani broadcaster Samaa TV reported on Tuesday that the suspect had been arrested during a late-night operation and the murder weapon recovered.

According to the daily Dawn, the police registered a case at the Sumbal station on Monday evening based on a complaint by Yousaf’s mother, Farzana Yousaf.

The complaint stated that a man with a pistol entered their house at around 5pm and “shot straight at my daughter with the intention to kill”, according to Dawn.

Two shots struck Yousaf in the chest, and she was declared dead at a local hospital. “The suspect entered the house, fired multiple shots, and then fled the scene,” The Express Tribune quoted a police source as saying.

The suspect had a “smart appearance, moderate physique and height” and wore a black shirt and trousers, according to a police description. Yousaf’s mother claimed she and her sister-in-law, Lateefa Shah, were eyewitnesses and could identify the suspect.

While the motive for the murder was still unclear, Samaa TV reported that the suspect from Punjab had known Yousaf and held a “personal grudge”.

Federal interior minister Mohsin Naqvi commended the police for acting quickly. “Well done, Islamabad police. Sana Yousaf murder case traced, accused arrested, and weapon recovered within 20 hours,” he posted on X.