Overview
- The sessions court on Tuesday, May 19, convicted 23‑year‑old Umar Hayat and sentenced him to death for the June 2, 2025 killing of 17‑year‑old TikToker Sana Yousaf while also imposing roughly Rs2–2.5 million in fines and additional prison terms.
- The written judgment set out forensic and digital links used by prosecutors, including fingerprint matches via NADRA to a mirror at the scene, ballistic tests tying recovered cartridges to a 30‑bore pistol, and recovery of the victim’s mobile phone with call and chat records.
- Judges also relied on a Section 164 confession recorded before a magistrate in June 2025 in which Hayat admitted shooting Sana after she refused to meet him; Hayat later retracted that statement and the defence alleges coercion, poor legal representation and flaws in identification and evidence presentation.
- Procedural steps remain: the trial court has sent a murder reference to the Islamabad High Court for mandatory confirmation of any death sentence and Hayat has been told of his right to appeal within statutory time limits.
- The case has stirred national debate over women’s safety, online harassment and evidence standards in Pakistan and the ruling could sharpen scrutiny of digital forensics, police procedures and protections for social‑media creators going forward.