Pakistani Court Sentences Man to Death for Murder of Social Media Influencer Sana Yousuf

Islamabad, Pakistan |Report By Muhammad Saleem
An Islamabad district court has sentenced Omar Hayat to death for the murder of popular social media influencer Sana Yousuf, in a case that gripped Pakistan’s public attention for nearly a year.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the reserved verdict, also handing down a 10-year prison sentence and a fine of 2 million Pakistani rupees alongside the capital punishment.
Sana Yousuf was murdered at her home on June 2, 2025. Police arrested Omar Hayat the following day from Jaranwala. On June 13, eyewitnesses — including the victim’s mother and aunt — positively identified him in an identification parade.
The case involved over 50 hearings, with 27 of the original 31 listed witnesses testifying before the court. Prosecutors presented mobile phone records, call logs, and chat screenshots as key evidence. A forensic examination of Sana Yousuf’s phone revealed a contact saved as “Kaka” — traced back to Omar Hayat’s number.
During proceedings, Omar Hayat denied all charges, claiming he had no contact with the victim and had made no confession. However, when the judge questioned him directly about the phone number, he refused to answer without his lawyer present.
The defence counsel argued that the verdict should not be influenced by public pressure, NGOs, or what he called “liberal society,” drawing a sharp rebuke from Judge Majoka who told him to “stop misleading the court.”
The prosecution had requested a double death sentence, citing the premeditated nature of the crime. Special Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiani was appointed by the government to lead the case.
Sana Yousuf’s parents were present in court as the verdict was delivered. The trial had been briefly suspended on the orders of the Islamabad High Court, where two petitions filed by the defence remain pending.