Umar Hayat indicted in TikToker Sana Yousaf case
An Islamabad court has indicted the prime suspect, Umar Hayat, in the TikToker Sana Yousaf murder case, reported 24Newshd TV channel.
Additional District and Sessions Judge Muhammad Afzal adjourned the hearing until September 25.
At the onset of the proceedings, the judge directly questioned Hayat, who denied any wrongdoing.
“You are accused of murdering Sana Yousaf. What do you say?” Judge Majoka asked.
“I have committed no such crime. All of this is a lie,” the accused responded.
The judge confronted him about allegedly snatching Sana’s mobile phone at the time of the incident.
Hayat again rejected the charge, maintaining that all accusations against him were baseless.
A murder case against Umar Hayat had earlier been registered at Sumbal Police Station, where investigators accused him of harassing Sana before her death.
Seventeen-year-old Sana Yousaf, who hailed from Upper Chitral, was shot dead on June 2 in Islamabad.
Police investigations revealed that the killing stemmed from a personal dispute between the accused and the teenager.
The young TikToker had gained rapid fame on social media, amassing over a million followers across platforms.
Her killing sparked outrage across the country, with activists and women’s rights groups calling for stronger legal protections against harassment and violence faced by women in the digital and public spaces.
For many young Pakistanis, she came to symbolise ambition, confidence, and the digital opportunities available to the new generation.
Reporter: Hashir Hasan