‘I am very happy with the verdict. May that justice continue to be dispensed in Pakistan,” says a mother
Sana Yousaf’s parents speak to the media outside the court after the verdict was announced in the murder case of their daughter, who was murdered in June last year. SCREEN CAPTURE
The parents of social media influencer Sana Yousaf on Tuesday expressed satisfaction over the death sentence given to their daughter’s killer and said justice had finally been done, while demanding that the convict be publicly executed.
An Islamabad court today announced the verdict in the murder case, sentencing Umar Hayat to death. Additionally, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison and a fine of 2.5 million rupees.
Speaking to media outside court, the victim’s mother thanked her legal team and said she had received justice today. He also expressed his gratitude to the police team, the judge and the media for their role in the case.
Read also: Court sentences Umar Hayat to death in Sana Yousaf murder case
“I am very happy with the verdict. May justice continue to be served in Pakistan. The criminal has received the right punishment,” she said, while calling for the convicted man to be publicly hanged.
Sana’s father also welcomed the verdict, saying that the family had been waiting for this day for the past 11 months and that the judiciary had issued a decision in the spirit of justice.
He said the verdict was not only for his family but for society as a whole, adding that it would serve as a lesson to criminals.
“This justice is not just for me but for the entire society,” he said, while thanking the legal team and the media for helping the case reach its logical conclusion.
He also praised the judiciary and said Justice Afzal Majoka had issued a decision based on justice and deserved recognition for it.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain, speaking to the media, said the prosecution had complied with all legal requirements during the trial and the court had ruled in its favour.
Discussing the process and evidence in the case, he said witnesses included the victim’s mother and aunt, who testified in court about how Sana Yousaf was shot dead and how the accused fled after taking her mobile phone.
“We held an identification parade in the court and the witnesses correctly identified the accused. His confessional statement was also recorded, which further strengthened our case. The shell casings recovered matched the pistol confiscated from the accused,” he said.
He added that one of the most important pieces of evidence was fingerprints found on a mirror in Sana’s room. According to him, the fingerprints were lifted and compared with the fingerprint record of the accused from Nadra.
He said the accused did not present any plausible defense during the trial, after which Judge Majoka awarded him the death penalty under Article 302(b).
The deputy public prosecutor described the verdict as important and welcome for the supremacy of law in the country, saying such decisions would create deterrence against crime in the society and deter people from committing such acts.
Sana, a 17-year-old TikToker, was shot dead in Sector G-13 of Islamabad in June 2025. She was shot at point-blank range inside her house.
The killer reportedly entered Sana’s house, opened fire and then fled the scene. A murder case was later registered against Hayat at the Sumbal police station and he was sent to prison for two weeks on judicial remand, two days after the murder.
In September, Hayat denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. The charges against him included murder and snatching the victim’s mobile phone. The denial came after investigators say he confessed to shooting Sana inside her home.
In January 2026, a district and sessions court in Islamabad recorded statements of Sana’s mother and aunt. When Judge Majoka heard the case, Hayat was brought before the court, but initially no lawyer appeared on his behalf. When the hearing resumed, Sana’s mother and her aunt appeared in court.
The mother recorded her statement, stating that her son was in Chitral due to summer holidays, while his sister-in-law was visiting her house. He said that around five in the afternoon, a man dressed in a black shirt and blue pants entered his house and fired two shots at Sana in the presence of both women. He added that the attacker fled with a gun and Sana’s mobile phone.
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In April, the Islamabad High Court reserved its verdict on a petition filed by Hayat seeking transfer of the murder case to another court. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, while hearing the case, noted that if the parties approached the high court, they should inform the trial court.
