Pakistani court charges man with murder of teenage TikTok influencer

ISLAMABAD — A Pakistani court charged a man on Saturday with murder for shooting a teenage social media influencer outside her home earlier this year after refusing his offer of friendship.

Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka in the capital, Islamabad, indicted Umar Hayat for killing 17-year-old Sana Yousuf. Hayat pleaded not guilty.

Hayat, a 22-year-old TikTok content creator, was arrested in June in the eastern city of Faisalabad. Yousuf’s death drew widespread condemnation.

Judge Majoka asked Hayat if he had killed Yousuf. Hayat replied that he had not. He also rejected the allegation that he had stolen her mobile phone, a court official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Footage on Pakistan’s private Samaa TV channel showed police leading a handcuffed Hayat to the court.

Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her TikTok channel. She also advocated for girls’ education. Hours before her murder, she had posted a birthday celebration photo with friends.

TikTok enjoys immense popularity in Pakistan due to its easy-to-use and visually-led format, with tens of millions of users. But it has also faced temporary bans.

The government has suspended the platform several times, citing concerns that the app promotes immoral or unlawful content.