Islamabad: First Lady and Member of the National Assembly, Bibi Aseefa Bhutto Zardari, has strongly condemned the murder of 16-year-old Sana Yousuf in Islamabad. Sana was killed on the eve of her 17th birthday. The incident has been described by Bibi Aseefa as a stark reminder of the violence faced by women and girls for asserting their rights.
In her statement, Bibi Aseefa extended condolences to Sana’s family and the community in Chitral. She highlighted Sana’s ambitions and dreams, emphasizing her right to live freely and safely. “What happened to her wasn’t just an act of violence-it was a punishment for saying no. And that should horrify every one of us,” she stated.
Bibi Aseefa criticized the violence stemming from male entitlement, calling it neither new nor rare. She urged that such acts should not be tolerated under the guise of culture or tradition. She invoked the legacy of her mother, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, who she said broke barriers for women, and stressed the importance of continuing that legacy.
Addressing online abuse directed at Sana posthumously, Bibi Aseefa dismissed the notion that social media use could justify violence. She condemned the use of Sana’s TikTok presence as an explanation for her death and questioned whether this logic endangered millions of girls across Pakistan.
She concluded with a message to young women in Pakistan, urging them not to be silenced. “You have the right to dream, to speak, to exist without fear. Don’t back down. If you do, they win. But if we keep pushing forward-together-we’ll shape a country where girls aren’t blamed for their own deaths, but celebrated for their lives,” she affirmed.