ISLAMABAD: The trial in Sana Yousuf murder case continued on Monday as a district and sessions court recorded statements of three more prosecution witnesses, including the victim’s mother, father and maternal aunt.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Mohammad Afzal Majoka conducted the proceedings, while prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain appeared on behalf of the state.

During her examination, the victim’s mother, Farzana Yousuf, told the court that the family had shifted to a rented house three months prior to the incident and that she was present at home the entire day on June 2, when the murder took place.

She stated that at around 5pm, when it was still daylight, Sana Yousuf and her maternal aunt were inside the house, while she herself was in the TV lounge. She said she had no prior knowledge of the arrival of the accused, Omar Hayat, and had neither any contact nor WhatsApp communication with him before the incident.

The witness said that after the occurrence, she telephoned her husband, who reached the spot and shifted Sana Yousuf to hospital in a car of a relative. She added that on hearing screams, residents of the lower portion of the house and people from the neighbourhood gathered outside.

She further deposed that the accused had not concealed his face at the time of the incident and was later identified by her during an identification parade held at Adiala Jail. According to her, the suspect was wearing a black shirt and blue trousers.

Responding to a question regarding alleged discrepancy in her signatures, the witness maintained that her signatures on the application and identification documents were the same and denied any contradiction between her statement recorded under Section 161 of the CrPC and her earlier application.

She also stated that prior to the identification parade she had neither seen the accused on social media nor in news reports, adding that although police had informed her about the arrest, they did not disclose the suspect’s appearance.

After completion of her cross-examination, the court also recorded and concluded cross-examination of the victim’s father, Yousaf Hassan, and maternal aunt, Bibi Latifa Shah.

The court adjourned further hearing till March 31 and directed the prosecution to produce more witnesses.

So far, statements of 28 witnesses have been recorded in the case.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2026