IHC Keeps Sana Yousuf Murder Trial in Original Court

The Islamabad High Court has rejected a plea seeking the transfer of the murder trial of teenage social media influencer Sana Yousuf to another court, allowing proceedings to continue before the existing trial judge. The decision, issued in Islamabad on April 30, marks a key legal development in a case that drew nationwide attention because of its violent nature and its connection to online harassment and social media obsession.

The petition was moved by accused Umar Hayat, who had asked the high court to shift the case from the current Sessions Court to a different judicial forum. Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfaraz Dogar dismissed the request through a reserved verdict and directed that the matter should remain before Judge Afzal Majuka, who was already hearing the case.

The ruling means the trial will now proceed without the delay that a transfer could have caused. In high-profile criminal cases, such applications can slow the pace of proceedings, particularly when the prosecution, witnesses and court record have already become linked to one trial forum. The court’s decision therefore keeps the case on its existing legal track.

According to the case record cited in the report, Sana Yousuf’s mother stated in the First Information Report that an armed man entered the family home at around 5pm and opened fire with the intention to kill her daughter. Police later said the suspect, a 22-year-old man from Faisalabad, had repeatedly tried to contact Sana and had allegedly been rejected by her several times.

Investigators also claimed that the accused took Sana’s mobile phone after the shooting in an attempt to remove evidence, while the weapon used in the offence was later recovered. Police submitted the challan against Hayat to the prosecution branch of the district and sessions courts on July 25, including a statement recorded under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

In that statement, according to police, Hayat said he had developed a one-sided attachment after connecting with Sana through social media. He reportedly told investigators that jealousy and suspicion shaped his actions, and that he travelled from Jaranwala to Islamabad after failing to meet her on her birthday.

Sana Yousuf, a 17-year-old influencer, was shot dead inside her home in Islamabad on June 2, 2025. Her death sparked anger across Pakistan, with many users linking the tragedy to the dangers faced by young women online, including stalking, unwanted contact and the failure to treat digital harassment as a serious warning sign before violence occurs.

The case has also revived debate about how courts, police and families respond when social media interactions cross into threats or obsessive behaviour. Pakistan’s growing digital culture has created opportunities for young creators, but it has also exposed them to risks that can move quickly from screens to real life, particularly when complaints are ignored or normalised.

For the justice system, the latest IHC order removes uncertainty over the venue of the trial and places responsibility back on the sessions court to move ahead with evidence and hearings. The next major stage will be the continuation of proceedings before Judge Afzal Majuka, where the prosecution is expected to rely on the FIR, police investigation, recovered evidence and recorded statements to pursue the case.