A court in Pakistan has sentenced a man to death over the murder of a teen social media influencer that sparked uproar across the country. Umar Hayat broke into the home of 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf in June last year after she rejected his repeated advances, and shot her dead.

Hayat, now 23, admitted his crime in July, saying he had developed a one-sided obsession with Yousaf after some interactions online. After the verdict, Yousaf's father, Syed Yousaf Hassan, described it as a lesson for all such criminals in society, highlighting the need for justice in the face of gender-based violence.

The court also ordered Hayat to pay 2.5 million rupees ($9,000; £6,700) as compensation to Yousaf's family. During investigations, Hayat confessed to traveling to Islamabad days before the killing to wish Yousaf well on her birthday. Despite her refusal to meet him, he managed to confront her at home, resulting in a deadly altercation, according to Pakistani media reports.

Yousaf had amassed over a million followers on TikTok for her engaging content, which included fashion trends and social interactions. Activists have pointed out that her murder is indicative of a larger pattern of violence against women in Pakistan, and although there has been public outrage, some have faced backlash targeting her identity as an influencer.

Human rights advocates stress that the criticisms directed towards her online presence demonstrate persisting misogyny. Prominent activists have called the reaction towards her death a reflection of deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes that threaten female voices in public spaces such as social media.