A court in Pakistan has sentenced 23-year-old Umar Hayat to death for the killing of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousaf, a case that has reignited national conversations on women’s safety and gender-based violence in the country.
According to Al-Jazeera, the court ruled that Hayat was guilty of murdering the teenager at her home in Islamabad on June 2, 2025.
The ruling was welcomed by the victim’s family, who described it as a warning to offenders.
Outside the court, Sana Yousaf’s father said the judgment went beyond personal justice.
“This verdict is not just for me as an individual; it is for the entire society,” he said. “It is a lesson for all such criminals in society that if they commit such an act, they can get such a result.”
According to police and court proceedings, Hayat was arrested within 20 hours of the killing in the city of Faisalabad, about 320 kilometres from Islamabad.
Investigators described the case as one driven by what they called “repeated rejections,” suggesting the suspect had developed an obsessive attachment to the teenager through online interactions.
Reports presented in court indicated that Hayat had travelled to Islamabad shortly before the incident, allegedly attempting to meet Yousaf on her birthday.
When that meeting did not happen, tensions escalated between them, leading to a confrontation on June 2. He reportedly entered her home where an argument broke out before she was fatally shot in the presence of her mother and aunt.
In a recorded confession cited during proceedings, Hayat admitted to developing a one-sided obsession with the influencer after interacting with her on social media platforms.
However, he later changed his account, denying any confrontation or prior contact.
The case has intensified debate in Pakistan about so-called “honour-related” killings and violence against women with public profiles. Rights activists say such incidents reflect deep-rooted cultural attitudes and systemic failures to protect women who assert independence or visibility online.
According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan at least 346 women were killed in “honour” related incidents in 2024, an increase from 324 the previous year.
