An Islamabad court on Tuesday sentenced Umar Hayat to death in the widely followed murder case of social media influencer and TikToker Sana Yousuf, bringing a dramatic legal conclusion to one of Pakistan’s most talked-about crimes.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict in open court, convicting Hayat after months of trial proceedings. The court also handed him two separate 10-year prison sentences under robbery and house trespass provisions, along with a combined fine of Rs20 million.
In addition, the convict received one year of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs100,000 under Section 411 of the Pakistan Penal Code, with an extra month of imprisonment in case of non-payment.
The case drew nationwide attention after Sana Yousuf was shot dead at her residence in Islamabad’s Sector G-13 on June 2, 2025. Police arrested Hayat from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the murder and claimed to have recovered the alleged weapon used in the crime.
Investigators said 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. However, during recent court testimony, he withdrew the confession and denied the charges.
Hayat had been formally indicted on September 20, 2025, but pleaded not guilty during trial proceedings. Despite the retraction, the court found sufficient evidence to convict him in the high-profile case that sparked debate over women’s safety, social media visibility, and violent crime in Pakistan.
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