IHC rejects plea to transfer Sana Yousuf murder trial

The Islamabad High Court has rejected a petition seeking the transfer of the murder trial of TikToker Sana Yousuf to another court, allowing proceedings to continue in the existing trial court.

Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar announced the reserved verdict, directing Sessions Court Judge Afzal Majuka to proceed with the case without any change in jurisdiction. The request had been filed by the accused, Umar Hayat, who sought to move the trial to a different court.

According to the First Information Report (FIR), the victim’s mother stated that an armed man entered their residence around 5pm and opened fire directly at her daughter with the intent to kill. Police investigations revealed that the suspect, a 22-year-old from Faisalabad, had repeatedly attempted to contact Sana Yousuf but was consistently rejected.

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Authorities said the accused allegedly took the victim’s mobile phone in an attempt to destroy evidence, but both the device and the weapon used in the crime were later recovered. The police formally submitted the challan in the case to the prosecution branch on July 25, which included the suspect’s confessional statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

In his statement, Umar Hayat admitted to developing a one-sided attachment to the victim after connecting with her on social media. He said feelings of jealousy and suspicion led him to commit the crime. He further disclosed that he had travelled from Jaranwala to Islamabad on multiple occasions, including on the victim’s birthday, before carrying out the attack.

With the high court dismissing the transfer request, the trial will continue as scheduled, marking a key step forward in the legal proceedings.