In a recent development in the Sana Yousaf murder case, the accused appeared before the court and recorded a statement, denying a link to the crime, ARY News reported. Umar Hayat, who was arrested and had earlier confessed to the murder, retrieved the statement and pleaded not guilty. He stated that there is no solid evidence against him, and he is being dragged uselessly into the case.
Umar added that there is no proof it was him, and that the documents for the car rental he used to travel to Islamabad are forged. He said that there is no CCTV footage of him at the car rental company and that he is being falsely accused. He added that he was arrested solely on suspicion of his residence in Jaranwala. He further alleged that the victim’s family made videos of him at the police station and propagated that he is the murderer.
He said that his location has not been tracked to Islamabad or the G-13 area where the murder took place, and cannot be placed in Islamabad through any CCTV evidence as well. He also alleged that the victim’s phone was not stolen, as registered in the First Information Report (FIR). He further stated that he has no link to the victim and that they had no animosity toward him.
However, earlier, Umar had not only given a confessional statement to the police, but the victim’s family had also identified him as the intruder during an identification parade at Adiala Jail. The murder took place on June 2, 2025, when an armed intruder entered Sana’s home in G-13, Islamabad, and viciously shot her multiple times over her rejection. Sana had allegedly rejected several ‘friendship’ offers and romantic advances that led to the gruesome crime.
The case is being heard by Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, who has now summoned witnesses and directed the prosecution to present formal evidence to proceed with the trial.
