ISLAMABAD: A local court on Wednesday approved a 14-day judicial remand for Omar Hayat, the prime suspect in the murder of social media influencer Sana Yousaf, to facilitate his identification parade.

The accused was presented before Judicial Magistrate Ahmed Shehzad Gondal by the federal police. Tensions rose in the courtroom when the magistrate noticed the absence of both the prosecutor and the district public prosecutor.

Expressing his displeasure, Magistrate Gondal said: “Where are the prosecutors of my court? Usually, no one shows up, but today the courtroom is full.”

Upon being informed by the duty prosecutor that the regular prosecutor was on leave, the magistrate ordered the presence of the district prosecutor before the proceedings could continue. The hearing was briefly adjourned, and the accused was taken back into police custody while awaiting the district prosecutor’s arrival.

Identification parade to be conducted once victim’s mother, aunt return from Chitral

Senator Falak Naz was also present in the courtroom during the hearing.

Later, upon reviewing the investigation officer’s request, the magistrate approved the remand and ordered Omar Hayat to be sent to jail for 14 days for the purpose of conducting an identification parade.

The suspect had allegedly murdered 17-year-old Sana Yousaf at her house in G-13 on Monday. He was arrested from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the incident. Additionally, the victim’s mobile phone and the murder weapon were also recovered from his possession.

“The ruthless killer took the phone with him after the murder to destroy evidence. In order to apprehend the accused, raids were conducted at over 11 locations in three cities. The accused is a 22-year-old unemployed man who repeatedly attempted to contact the victim. Upon her refusal to respond, he committed the murder,” said the police.

Moreover, the mother and aunt of Sana Yousaf are likely to identify the suspect arrested by the police in connection with the teenage girl’s murder, Dawn has learnt.

Police officers said that on Wednesday, the suspect was sent to Adiala jail on a 14-day judicial remand for the identification parade.

They said that a case had been registered over the murder in response to a complaint lodged by the victim’s mother, Farzana Yousaf. According to the FIR, the victim’s aunt was present in the house, while her father was outside.

However, the FIR does not clearly state whether the victim’s mother was present in the house at the time of the murder, the officers added. They said the family of Sana Yousaf had left for their hometown in Chitral along with the body for burial.

The police will request the mother and aunt to return as soon as possible for the identification parade.

The victim’s aunt, who also resides in Chitral, had come to Islamabad a few days ago to visit her brother (Sana Yousaf’s father) and was present in the house at the time of the murder.

The officers said that, so far, the investigators only have evidence in the form of geo-fencing data, recovery of an iPhone from the suspect, and CCTV footage. The suspect has yet to be interrogated, as no witness has so far recorded a statement regarding the murder.

However, there are two potential witnesses. The aunt who was present at the scene and the mother, on whose complaint the case was registered.

So far, the police have made successful efforts to trace and arrest the suspect and obtained his judicial remand for further legal action, the officers said. The investigation into the murder will gain momentum after the identification parade and recording of witness statements.

The police are also tracing other individuals considered as suspects who may have either assisted the suspect or been used by him intentionally. After committing the murder, the suspect reportedly left the victim’s house in a car driven by another person and reached Chungi No 26, from where he boarded a passenger vehicle.

The police will also investigate the ownership of the weapon used in the murder — whether it was licensed or illegal — and determine who owned or lent it to the suspect.

Bringing the weapon to the victim’s house suggests that he came there with the intent to harm her, the officers added.

Published in Dawn, June 5th, 2025