“I am very happy with the verdict. May this justice continue to be served in Pakistan,” says the mother
The parents of Sana Yousaf speak to the media outside the court after the verdict was announced in the murder case of their daughter, who was killed in June last year. SCREENSHOT
The parents of social media influencer Sana Yousaf on Tuesday expressed satisfaction with the death sentence handed down to their daughter’s killer, saying justice had finally been served, while demanding that the convict be publicly executed.
An Islamabad court announced its verdict in the murder case earlier today, sentencing Umar Hayat to death. Additionally, he was sentenced to 21 years in prison and a total fine of Rs2.5 million.
Speaking to media outside court, the victim’s mother thanked her team of lawyers and said she had received justice today. She also expressed gratitude to the police team, the judge and the media for their role in this case.
Read also: Court sentences Umar Hayat to death in Sana Yousaf murder case
“I am very happy with the verdict. May such justice continue to be served in Pakistan. The criminal has received the just punishment,” she said, while calling for the convict to be hanged publicly.
Sana’s father also welcomed the verdict, saying that the family had been waiting for this day for 11 months and that the court had rendered a decision in line with 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 only 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, saying Justice Afzal Majoka gave a decision based on justice and deserved to be appreciated for it.
Deputy public prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain, speaking to the media, said the prosecution had fulfilled all legal requirements during the trial and the court had ruled in its favor.
Discussing the proceedings and evidence of the case, he said the eyewitnesses 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 conducted an identification procedure in court and the witnesses correctly identified the accused. His confession was also recorded which further strengthened our case. The shells recovered matched the pistol seized 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 bedroom. According to him, the fingerprints were taken and compared with Nadra’s fingerprints of the accused.
He said the accused failed to present any plausible defense during the trial, following which Justice Majoka sentenced him to death under Section 302(b).
The deputy prosecutor described the verdict as important and welcome for the supremacy of law in the country, saying such decisions would create a deterrent effect against crime in the society and discourage people from committing such acts.
Sana, a 17-year-old TikToker, was shot dead in Islamabad’s G-13 sector in June 2025. She was shot at close range inside her house.
The killer allegedly entered Sana’s house, opened fire, then fled. A case of murder was later registered against Hayat at Sumbal police station and he was sent to jail for two weeks on remand, two days after the murder.
In September, Hayat denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. The charges against him included murder and theft of the victim’s cell phone. This denial came after he allegedly confessed to shooting Sana inside his home, according to investigators.
In January 2026, a district and sessions court in Islamabad recorded the statements of Sana’s mother and aunt. As Justice Majoka heard the case, Hayat was produced before the court, but no lawyer initially appeared on his behalf. When the hearing resumed, Sana’s mother and aunt appeared in court.
The mother recorded her statement, stating that her son was in Chitral due to summer vacation, while his sister-in-law was visiting them. She said that around 5 p.m., a man wearing a black shirt and blue pants entered their house and fired two shots at Sana in the presence of the two women. She added that the attacker fled with a gun and Sana’s cell phone.
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In April, the Islamabad High Court then 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, observed that if the parties approach the High Court, they should inform the trial court.
