An Islamabad court on Tuesday sentenced Umar Hayat to death in the murder case of TikToker and social media influencer Sana Yousuf, whose killing last year sparked outrage across Pakistan and reignited debate over women’s safety on social media.
The court also awarded the convict 10 years in prison and imposed a fine of Rs200,000.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict in open court after months of proceedings in the widely followed case.
The convict, Umar Hayat, was found guilty of murdering Sana Yousuf at her residence in Islamabad. According to court proceedings, the judge also sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment in addition to the death penalty.
The case had drawn national attention due to Sana Yousuf’s popularity on TikTok and Instagram, as well as the circumstances surrounding her killing.
Accused had confessed earlier
Last year, Umar Hayat — himself a TikToker and the son of a retired government official — had confessed before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) that he shot Sana Yousuf.
However, during court proceedings, the 22-year-old later pleaded not guilty.
“All the allegations made against me are baseless and false,” the accused told the court during a hearing in Islamabad.
Authorities had earlier stated that the suspect allegedly murdered Sana after she repeatedly rejected his “offers of friendship.” Investigators said he had tried several times to meet her but failed.
Police alleged that he later entered her home in Islamabad, fired two shots, stole her phone, and fled the scene before being arrested shortly afterwards.
Islamabad High Court rejected transfer plea
Earlier in the trial, the Islamabad High Court rejected Umar Hayat’s request to transfer the case to another court.
The accused had expressed a lack of confidence in the trial court and sought relocation of proceedings to a different bench.
However, Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar dismissed the petition and directed that the trial continue before Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka.
Sana Yousuf’s killing in June triggered widespread condemnation across Pakistan. At the same time, some social media comments appeared to blame the victim, sparking a broader debate about the treatment of women online and the risks faced by female content creators.
Before her death, Sana had built a strong following online, with around half a million followers on Instagram. Her TikTok account rapidly gained more followers after the incident and now has more than two million followers.
Her social media platforms were flooded with condolence messages from fans and supporters.
Sana regularly shared videos featuring cafes, skincare products, traditional outfits, and glimpses of her daily life. Her final Instagram video showed her celebrating her birthday while cutting a cake surrounded by balloons.
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