Court awards death sentence to convict in Sana Yousaf murder case

ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad sessions court on Tuesday sentenced the main accused in the high-profile murder of teenage TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf to death after finding him guilty of intentionally killing the 17-year-old at her residence in June last year.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict, convicting 23-year-old Umar Hayat under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for qatl-i-amd (intentional murder).

The court ruled that the death sentence would be subject to confirmation by the Islamabad High Court under Section 374 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Besides capital punishment, the court directed Hayat to pay Rs2.5 million in compensation to the victim’s legal heirs under Section 544-A of the CrPC. In case of default, he will undergo an additional six months of simple imprisonment, according to the written judgment.

The court also handed down separate sentences under other provisions of law. Under Section 392 of the PPC, Hayat was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs200,000. He was also awarded another 10-year sentence with a Rs200,000 fine under Section 499 of the PPC, while Section 411 attracted one year of rigorous imprisonment and a Rs100,000 fine.

Judge Majoka ordered that all sentences would run concurrently and granted the convict the benefit of Section 382-B of the CrPC, allowing time already spent in custody to count toward his sentence.

Hayat, who was arrested a day after Yousaf was shot dead at her Islamabad home on June 2, 2025, had on Monday retracted his earlier confessional statement, claiming he had been falsely implicated in the case.

During proceedings under Section 342 of the CrPC, the accused denied involvement in the murder and repeatedly avoided answering questions in the absence of his lawyer before later recording a detailed statement after counsel appeared.

According to Islamabad police, Hayat — a TikToker himself and son of a retired government official — was arrested from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the murder. Islamabad Inspector General Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi had earlier described the case as one driven by “repeated rejections.”

The accused was formally indicted by Judge Majoka on September 20, where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

A case that shocked the country

Yousaf, who had over a million followers across social media platforms, was widely known for videos featuring cafés, skincare routines and traditional fashion content. Her killing sparked outrage nationwide and renewed debate over women’s safety and online harassment in Pakistan.

Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Yousaf’s parents welcomed the ruling.

Her mother, Farzana, termed the judgment justice for her daughter and thanked the legal team, police, judiciary and media for supporting the family throughout the trial.

“The culprit has received the punishment he deserved,” she said.

Yousaf’s father, Yousaf Hassan, said the family had waited nearly 11 months for justice.

“This verdict is not only for me as an individual but for society as a whole,” he said, adding that it sent a strong message that those committing such crimes would face consequences.

He called the ruling “justice for all girls” and society at large.

One of the family’s lawyers also praised the court’s patience during the eight-month-long proceedings, alleging attempts were made by the defence to complicate the case and personally target the presiding judge.

Retraction of confession

In a confessional statement recorded before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC in July 2025, Hayat had admitted to the murder and detailed the motive, planning, execution and disposal of the weapon.

According to the statement, Hayat developed a one-sided obsession with Yousaf following online interactions and claimed jealousy and suspicion drove him to commit the crime.

He had told investigators that he travelled from Jaranwala to Islamabad on May 28 to meet Yousaf on her birthday but grew convinced she was avoiding him after she refused to see him. He later returned to Islamabad on June 2 in a rented vehicle, carrying a 30-bore pistol, intending to confront her.

However, in his latest statement before the court, Hayat denied the prosecution’s narrative, claiming he had never argued with Yousaf, sought to meet her or remained in contact with her. He alleged he was implicated under public pressure generated on social media due to the popularity of both parties as TikTok personalities.

Earlier legal challenges by the accused also failed to secure relief. Last month, IHC Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar dismissed Hayat’s plea seeking transfer of the trial to another court. In February, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro rejected a petition challenging witness statements recorded in the absence of the accused and his lawyer, ruling that appearance through video link constituted lawful presence.