ISLAMABAD: A man accused of shooting dead a 17-year-old TikTok star at her home in Pakistan after she had repeatedly rejected his advances was formally indicted Saturday, an AFP reporter in court saw.
Sana Yousaf's murder in June drew nationwide condemnation and reignited debate over women's safety, after some online comments -- alongside condolences -- blamed her for her own death.
The 22-year-old accused, Umar Hayat, pleaded not guilty in Islamabad's district court Saturday.
"All the allegations made against me are baseless and false," the accused told Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka.
Yousaf had racked up more than a million followers on social media accounts, including TikTok, where she shared videos of her favourite cafes, skincare products, and traditional outfits.
TikTok is wildly popular in Pakistan, in part because of its accessibility to a population with low literacy levels.
Women have found both an audience and income on the app, which is rare in a country where fewer than a quarter of women participate in the formal economy.
Police described the killing as a "gruesome and cold-blooded murder", alleging Hayat killed Yousaf after she repeatedly rejected his proposals.
Some comments in social media posts sharing the news of Yousaf's murder suggested it was justified in a society where honour codes dictate how women should behave.
"You reap what you sow," said one comment.
Violence against women is pervasive in Pakistan, according to the country's Human Rights Commission, and cases of women being attacked after rejecting marriage proposals are not uncommon.
In 2021, 27-year-old Noor Mukadam was beheaded by her Pakistani-American boyfriend, Zahir Jaffer, after she rejected his marriage proposal in a case that sparked widespread anger.