Umar Hayat, the man arrested for the murder of 17-year-old social media influencer Sana Yousuf, has confessed to his crime in court.
The 22-year-old admitted that he acted out of anger and a desire for revenge after Sana refused to meet him.
According to media reports, Umar Hayat appeared before Judicial Magistrate Saad Nazir on Tuesday, where he recorded his confessional statement under Section 164 of the Pakistan Penal Code. “I wanted to meet Sana, but her constant refusal drove me to the point of rage,” he told the court.
Hayat further revealed that he first went to Sana’s house hoping to meet her and brought a birthday gift as well. “I waited all day, but she didn’t come out to see me and told me to leave. Even the gift I brought for her was rejected,” he stated.
According to the statement, on June 2, Sana asked him to come again, but the meeting didn’t go as expected. “I was furious. In a fit of rage, I broke into her house and shot her twice in the chest,” Umar told the court.
The murder took place inside Sana’s residence in Islamabad’s G-13 sector on June 2. According to the FIR filed by Sana’s mother Farzana Yousaf, the attacker entered their home around 3:15 PM. He was described as medium-built, wearing a black shirt and checkered trousers. He went straight to the room where Sana was sitting and opened fire with clear intent to kill.
Farzana and a guest at the house, Latifa Shah, were present and witnessed the incident. They rushed Sana to the hospital with the help of neighbors, but she was pronounced dead after receiving critical gunshot wounds to her chest. Sana’s body was later moved to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences for an autopsy.
Sana, who hailed from Chitral, was a popular figure on social media. She had over 800,000 followers on TikTok and nearly 500,000 on Instagram. Her videos, which featured lip-syncs, lifestyle clips, and outings with friends, regularly received hundreds of thousands of views. Just hours before her death, Sana had posted her final video showing the teenager celebrating her birthday at a restaurant in Islamabad.
Police arrested the suspect during a late-night operation in Faisalabad. He had been on the run since the murder. Known by the alias “Kaka” on social media, Umar was traced through CCTV footage and technical tracking. The police have also recovered the weapon used in the crime.
Initial reports and witness statements suggest that Umar and Sana knew each other personally. Sana’s aunt confirmed this when she told investigators about overhearing their conversation moments before the shooting. She recalled Sana telling him, “You should leave now, there are cameras here. Let me get you some water.”
Police officials confirmed that the motive was personal. Sana’s repeated rejections and refusal to accept Umar’s gift appear to have triggered a violent response. The murder has caused a wave of grief and outrage on social media, where Sana’s followers continue to demand justice.
The case remains under investigation as authorities work to uncover more details about Umar Hayat’s background and the events that led to this tragic killing.
