- Hayat sentenced to a total of 21 years in prison and a fine of 2.5 million rupees.
- The victim’s father says that the sentence was handed down in accordance with justice.
- The victim’s mother praises the attorneys for presenting “a strong case.”
ISLAMABAD: A local court in the federal capital has awarded death sentence to main accused Umar Hayat in the murder case of social media influencer Sana Yousaf.
Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the reserved sentence and also imposed a fine of Rs 2 million on the convict, according to the ruling.
In a brief two-page order, Judge Majoka also imposed fines on Hayat on multiple charges.
According to the verdict, the convict was sentenced to 10 years in prison and a fine of Rs 200,000 under Article 392.
The court further sentenced the convict to 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of Rs 200,000 under section 499, while another year’s imprisonment and a fine of Rs 100,000 was imposed on him under section 411.
In total, the court awarded Hayat a cumulative prison term of 21 years along with fines worth Rs 2.5 million.
Yousaf had more than 800,000 followers on TikTok, a popular platform in Pakistan, where she posted lip-sync videos, skincare tips, and promotional content for beauty products.
Sana, who turned 17 a week before her death and had more than a million followers on her social media accounts, was murdered at her home in Islamabad on June 2, 2025.
At the previous hearing held on Monday, the accused Hayat recanted his earlier confession, calling the case a “blind murder” and denying all allegations.
He told the court that he had no connection with the incident and claimed that he was in Faisalabad at the time of the murder.
The accused also alleged flaws in the investigation, claiming that CCTV footage and witnesses were not properly presented in court.
He further claimed that his confession was obtained under duress and that he was not provided with adequate legal representation during parts of the investigation.
Hayat also questioned the identification parade, calling it unfair and inconsistent, and alleged that he was falsely implicated due to pressure from social media.
The accused maintained that he never confessed to the murder and said that all the evidence against him was fabricated.
‘Justice delivered’
Speaking to reporters after the court hearing, the victim’s father, Yousaf, praised the sentence and said the judiciary had handed down the sentence in accordance with justice.
“We have been waiting for this day for 11 months. The day has finally come,” he said, thanking the lawyers and the media for their support.
“This decision is not only for us, but for the entire society. This is a lesson that if someone commits [such a heinous act]”This will be the end of it,” he said.
Meanwhile, the victim’s mother also praised the lawyers for presenting “a strong case” and said she was “happy to get justice from a Pakistani court.”
Call logs, screenshots sent
During today’s hearing in district court, prosecutor Naveed Kiayani concluded his closing arguments and detailed the evidence presented during the trial.
He said the prosecution had presented 27 witnesses to the court and had submitted medical and other documentary evidence on record.
The prosecutor stated that the accused was arrested the day after the incident and subsequently underwent an identification process.
He added that PIMS doctors also testified, whose medical reports confirmed serious injuries and indicated that the shots were fired with intent to kill.
According to the prosecution, the victim suffered fatal injuries to the heart and lungs from the gunshots.
He further told the court that the investigating officer recovered the victim’s mobile phone, which helped trace the accused’s number, while the deceased’s father identified the phone from the case property.
The prosecution also claimed that call logs and chat screenshots linked the accused to the case, and the judge ordered the recovered mobile phone to be produced in court.
It was further stated that the accused attempted to dispose of the evidence and was traced through digital and investigative leads.
The prosecutor also read the statement of the victim’s mother, Farzana Yousaf, stating that she remained at home at the time of the incident and later witnessed the events following the crime.
Eyewitnesses, he added, confirmed key details, including the defendant’s identification and descriptions of the weapon and clothing.
The court was told that the post-mortem examination began late at night and confirmed the prosecution’s version of events.
Defense counsel reiterated arguments calling for capital punishment, while previous proceedings included requests for strict punishment by the author’s counsel.
The court also heard that the identification witnesses had not seen any previous images of the accused before the identification process.
The judge was informed that the prosecution had completed its arguments, after which the verdict was reserved.
