Man accused of TikTok star's murder appears in court
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A Pakistani man accused of killing a 17-year-old TikTok influencer after she rejected his offer of friendship has made his first court appearance, officials and police said.

Umar Hayat, a 22-year-old who is also known for making TikTok videos, was taken into custody on Tuesday by Islamabad police in Faisalabad, a major industrial city in eastern Punjab province.

He is accused of shooting Sana Yousaf, who had more than one million followers on social media.

Sana Yousaf was shot dead in Pakistan. (Supplied)

The killing earlier this week in Islamabad drew widespread condemnation.

Television videos displayed Hayat with his face concealed as he was escorted to a courtroom. There, police asked for more time to wrap up their investigation and formally charge him with murder.

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.

TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of whom are young women and teenagers.

Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends.

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