ISLAMABAD: A district and sessions court in Islamabad on Tuesday awarded the death sentence to Umar Hayat in the high-profile murder case of social media influencer Sana Yousaf. The verdict was announced by Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka after the completion of final arguments from both the prosecution and defence.
The court also handed Umar Hayat an additional 10-year prison sentence and imposed a fine of Rs200,000. The verdict was announced in the presence of Sana Yousaf’s parents, who attended the hearing along with legal representatives from both sides.
During the proceedings, Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain and counsel for the victim’s family, Sardar Qadeer, appeared before the court to present their arguments. The prosecution maintained that strong evidence had been submitted linking the accused directly to the murder of Sana Yousaf.
According to Prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiani, the prosecution produced 27 witnesses during the trial. He informed the court that Umar Hayat was arrested a day after the killing and was later identified through an identification parade.
The prosecution further stated that medical evidence from PIMS Hospital confirmed the victim sustained severe injuries caused by intentional gunfire. Doctors testified that the bullets badly damaged Sana Yousaf’s heart and lungs, leading to her death.
Investigators also presented digital evidence before the court. Prosecutors revealed that Umar Hayat’s phone number was recovered from Sana Yousaf’s mobile phone. Officials traced the accused through mobile phone records, chats, and location data, which reportedly established communication between the accused and the victim before the incident.
The court was told that Sana Yousaf’s mobile phone was later recovered and identified by her father at the police storeroom. Prosecutors argued that all available evidence, including witness testimonies and forensic records, proved the charges against Umar Hayat.
Counsel for the victim’s family, Sardar Qadeer, urged the court to award two death sentences to the accused, calling the murder of Sana Yousaf a shocking crime that received nationwide attention.
