A man accused of murdering a 17-year-old social media influencer at her home in Pakistan after she repeatedly rejected his advances has been formally indicted.

Sana Yousaf’s murder in June this year 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, also a TikTok influencer, pleaded not guilty in a court in the capital Islamabad on Saturday as the trial formally began.

“All the allegations made against me are baseless and false,” Hayat, who is from Faisalabad city in Punjab province, told Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka.

The court adjourned the hearing until September 25, when it will hear from witnesses and formally frame the charges, reported Pakis

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