ISLAMABAD: First Lady and Member of National Assembly (MNA) Aseefa Bhutto Zardari has strongly condemned the brutal killing of Sana Yousaf, who was murdered in Islamabad just days before her 17th birthday.
In a statement on Tuesday, Aseefa highlighted that Sana’s tragic death underscores the ongoing violence women and girls face simply for asserting their basic rights. She expressed her heartfelt condolences to Sana’s family, the community in Chitral, and everyone mourning this senseless loss.
“Sana was a young girl with dreams, ambitions, and a future ahead of her,” Aseefa said. “Her right to live freely and safely was taken away. What happened to her was not just violence it was a punishment for saying no. That’s a reality we must all find unacceptable.”
Sana Yousaf, a popular social media influencer, was killed at her home in Islamabad on June 2. The perpetrator, a 22-year-old TikToker who had repeatedly contacted her online and waited outside her residence, resorted to violence after she rejected his advances. The suspect was arrested within 24 hours of the incident.With over 800,000 followers on TikTok, Sana had built a large online presence sharing lip-sync videos, skincare routines, and promotional content for fashion and beauty brands. Her death has sparked widespread outrage across social media and beyond.
Aseefa emphasized that violence rooted in male entitlement is neither new nor uncommon and must be confronted and eradicated, rather than justified under cultural or traditional pretexts.“This toxic mindset — that a woman’s rejection is an insult or that her choices must be controlled — is old, cruel, and deadly. My mother, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, challenged such norms with her strength. She led and broke barriers, paving the way for millions of women. We owe it to her legacy, and to young women like Sana, to keep fighting for their rights.”
Addressing the online abuse and victim-blaming Sana faced posthumously, Aseefa firmly rejected the notion that social media activity or self-expression could ever justify violence.“There is nothing — no app, no photo, no video — that excuses murder. It’s disturbing to see some people trying to justify Sana’s death by referencing her TikTok videos. If that’s the logic, then millions of girls across Pakistan are at risk. Such thinking is not just dangerous — it’s inhumane.”
She concluded with a message of resilience and solidarity for young women nationwide:“To every girl watching this — do not let them silence you. You have the right to dream, to speak, and to exist without fear. Do not back down. If we stand together and continue to raise our voices, we can build a future where girls are celebrated for their lives, not blamed for their deaths.”
The post Aseefa Bhutto Condemns Sana Yousaf’s Murder, Decries Violence Driven by Male Entitlement appeared first on Karachi News.