Sana Yousaf case: Umar Hayat retracts confession, labels killing a ‘blind murder’

• Hayat denies visiting victim’s residence, contacting her.
• Accused rejects mobile theft charges in testimony.
• Alleges social media pressure influenced police probe.

In a fresh development in the social media influencer Sana Yousaf’s case, accused Umar Hayat retracted his earlier confession and described the killing as a “blind murder”, rejecting all charges levelled against him before an Islamabad court on Monday.

The 17-year-old TikToker — with more than a million followers across various platforms — was shot twice inside her home in Sector G-13/1 on June 2, 2025, allegedly by Hayat.

Hayat (22), also known by his nickname “Kaka”, is a TikToker himself and had confessed to the murder. He claimed to be the victim’s friend.

During his statement recorded under Section 342 at the trial court of Judge Afzal Majoka today, Hayat denied all allegations, stating that he had no connection with the incident and never visited Yousaf’s residence.

In the previous hearing on Friday, Investigation Officer Fakhar Abbas informed the district and sessions court of Islamabad that the main suspect in the social media influencer’s murder case had confessed to the killing before a magistrate and helped police recover key evidence linked to the case.

However, Hayat in today’s court hearing, maintained that there was no contact or dispute between them. He further alleged that Yousaf’s followers pressured police on social media, leading to his false implication, and that police later influenced his family by asserting that he was the culprit.

The accused further alleged that the probe was flawed, claiming that CCTV footage and witnesses were not properly produced before the court. He also accused the police of implicating him under pressure and alleged that no witness was produced by the investigation officer regarding taking Yousaf to hospital.

Hayat claimed he was not given proper legal representation during parts of the investigation and said his statements were recorded without his lawyers being present. He also rejected allegations of mobile phone theft and other related charges.

The accused added that he had no confidence in the court or the state counsel.

He further told the court that he was falsely implicated in a “planted case” and questioned the credibility of identification procedures, claiming inconsistencies in the investigation process. He added that he was in Faisalabad at the time of the incident.

Hayat further claimed that during the identification parade, all other accused were treated uniformly while he was made to wear different clothes, and said other participants present at the time can testify that the parade was unfair.

He alleged that he was arrested on mere suspicion as both he and the victim were well-known TikTok personalities.

The accused also alleged that he was subjected to coercion at the police station and did not know what was written on the blank paper after his thumb impression was taken by police.

Hayat also disputed forensic and location evidence presented against him, calling it inaccurate and inconsistent with the timeline of events. He maintained that all allegations were fabricated.

The court was told that he never confessed or made any revelation regarding the murder.

During the proceedings, the defence counsel repeatedly insisted that each submission should end by declaring the case false and fabricated, prompting the judge to intervene and remark that the court should not be dictated in that manner.

The hearing was later adjourned till Tuesday.