Human rights activists in Pakistan protest against murder of TikTok star Sana Yousaf

Dozens of human right activists held a demonstration in Islamabad on Thursday over the murder of the teenager. A 22-year-old man has been arrested.

Dozens of human rights activists took to the streets of the Pakistani capital Islamabad on Thursday to protest against the murder of 17-year-old TikTok influencer, Sana Yousuf.The protest comes after the man accused of killing the teenager made his first court appearance on Wednesday, officials and police said."Why are there so few people present here at this protest rally today? Why is the whole of Pakistan not standing up and speaking out in protest? This is something which impacts and affects everyone," activist Tahira Abdullah said.The suspect, 22-year-old Umar Hayat who also creates content on TikTok, was arrested on Tuesday by police in Faisalabad, an industrial city in eastern Punjab province.He is accused of shooting Yousuf, who had more than 1 million followers on social media. Authorities believe he broke into her home after she rejected his offer of friendship.The killing earlier this week in Islamabad drew widespread condemnation.TV footage showed Hayat with his face covered as he was brought to court, where police requested additional time to complete their investigation and file formal murder charges.The judge ordered that Hayat be presented again on June 18 for pretrial proceedings.Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls' education.Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends.TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of them young women and teenagers.