ISLAMABAD: An Islamabad sessions court on Tuesday sentenced Umar Hayat to death for the murder of teenage social media influencer Sana Yousaf, nearly a year after the 17-year-old was shot dead inside her home in the federal capital.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict, convicting Hayat under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code for intentional murder. The death sentence will require confirmation by the Islamabad High Court under Pakistan’s criminal procedure law.
The court also ordered Hayat to pay Rs2.5 million in compensation to Sana’s legal heirs. Separate punishments were awarded in related offences, including robbery and receiving stolen property, with the sentences to run concurrently.
Sana Yousaf was killed on June 2, 2025, at her residence in Islamabad. Police said Hayat was arrested from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the incident after investigators reviewed CCTV footage and traced his movement from the crime scene. The case drew national outrage, not only because of Sana’s young age, but because it once again put a harsh spotlight on violence against women, online harassment and the dangerous entitlement some men show after rejection.
According to court proceedings reported by local media, Hayat had earlier recorded a confessional statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, in which he allegedly described a one-sided obsession with Sana and the events leading up to the killing. A day before the verdict, however, he retracted that statement and claimed he had been falsely implicated because of public pressure on social media.
Sana, originally linked to Chitral, had built a large following on TikTok and other social media platforms. She was known for sharing content featuring traditional outfits, daily-life videos and cultural expression. AP reported that she also used her platform to promote Chitrali music and girls’ education. Hours before her death, she had posted a birthday-related photo with friends.
Outside the court, Sana’s parents welcomed the ruling. Her father, Yousaf Hassan, said the family had waited 11 months for this day and described the verdict as justice not just for his daughter but “for the entire society.” Her mother, Farzana, thanked the court, police, lawyers and media for supporting the family through the case.
The murder had triggered widespread condemnation across Pakistan, with activists and social media users demanding stronger action against gender-based violence. For many, Sana’s case became another painful reminder that online visibility can expose young women to harassment, stalking and real-world danger.
The convict still has legal avenues available, and the death sentence must be confirmed by the Islamabad High Court before it can be carried out. For Sana’s family, though, Tuesday’s verdict marked a long-awaited moment in a case that had shaken the country.
