An Islamabad sessions court on Tuesday sentenced Umar Hayat, the main accused in the murder of teenage TikTok influencer Sana Yousaf, to death after finding him guilty of her killing at her residence in June 2025.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka announced the verdict, convicting the 23-year-old under Section 302(b) of the Pakistan Penal Code for qatl-i-amd, or intentional murder.
The court also ordered Hayat to pay Rs2.5 million in compensation to the victim’s legal heirs under Section 544-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure. In case of non-payment, he will serve an additional six months of simple imprisonment.
Besides the death sentence, the court awarded separate punishments under other provisions of law. Hayat was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs200,000 under Section 392, another 10 years with a Rs200,000 fine under Section 499, and one year of rigorous imprisonment with a Rs100,000 fine under Section 411. All sentences will run concurrently.
The court further granted the convict the benefit of Section 382-B of the CrPC, allowing the time already spent in custody to be counted towards his sentence. The death penalty will require confirmation from the Islamabad High Court under Section 374 of the CrPC.
Hayat, who was arrested within 20 hours of the killing, had retracted his earlier confessional statement during proceedings on Monday, claiming he had been falsely implicated in the case due to public pressure surrounding the murder of a prominent social media personality.
In his earlier confession recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC in July 2025, Hayat admitted to developing a one-sided obsession with Yousaf following online interactions. He stated that jealousy and suspicion motivated the killing.
According to prosecutors, Hayat travelled from Jaranwala to Islamabad carrying a 30-bore pistol and later shot Yousaf at her home on June 2, 2025. The prosecution told the court that call records, chat screenshots, witness testimony and medical evidence linked the accused to the crime.
Prosecutor Naveed Kiayani informed the court that 27 witnesses had testified during the trial, while doctors from PIMS confirmed that the victim sustained fatal injuries to her heart and lungs caused by gunfire.
The defence argued that the confession had been extracted under pressure and alleged flaws in the investigation, including issues related to CCTV footage and the identification parade. Hayat denied any involvement and maintained that he was in Faisalabad at the time of the murder.
Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Yousaf’s father described the ruling as “justice for all girls” and said the judgment sent a strong message to society.
“We had been waiting for this day for the past 11 months,” he said. “This decision is not just for us, but for the entire society.”
Yousaf’s mother also welcomed the verdict, thanking the court, police and legal team for their efforts.