ISLAMABAD: The police formally submitted the challan to the prosecution branch of the district and sessions courts in the teenage Tiktoker Sana Yousaf murder case.

In the investigation report, police have named Umar Hayat, 22, as the primary accused in the brutal murder.

He has been charged based on key witness accounts, including statements from Sana Yousuf’s mother and maternal aunt, as well as a confessional statement recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Police believe the statement and other evidence constitute a strong foundation for prosecution.

Sana Yousuf, a popular social media influencer, was shot dead at her residence in Islamabad’s G-13 sector on June 2.

According to Islamabad police, the accused was arrested from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the incident. During the arrest, police recovered the murder weapon and the victim’s mobile phone from his possession.

As per the investigation, the suspect took the phone intending to destroy digital evidence. “The ruthless killer took the phone with him after the murder to destroy evidence,” the IGP said during a press conference at Rescue 15, accompanied by DIG Mohammad Jawad Tariq and senior officers.

The investigation revealed that raids were conducted at over 11 locations across three cities to apprehend the suspect. Identifying him was a major challenge due to limited leads, but geo-fencing and CCTV footage helped trace his escape route–from G-13 to Chungi No. 26–where he boarded a passenger vehicle to Faisalabad.

Sources close to the investigation said the suspect, the son of a retired grade-16 officer, had known the victim for about a year. He had previously attempted to visit her on her birthday between May 28 and 29, but was unable to meet her. After a brief phone conversation in which he complained about being ignored, the two agreed to meet again on June 2. However, when he arrived at her house and she refused to come outside, he managed to enter the premises. A confrontation followed, during which he fatally shot her.

At the time of the murder, Sana’s aunt was present at home while her parents were away.

The police emphasised that Sana’s murder triggered a wave of shock across Islamabad and the country. “This was a brutal crime and a serious test for the police force.

With the submission of the challan, the trial of the alleged killer of Sana Yousaf is now expected to formally begin, with the police confident that the evidence gathered will result in a conviction.

Published in Dawn, July 26th, 2025