Sana Yousaf (born Syed Sana Yusuf Shah; 29 May 2007 – 2 June 2025) was a Pakistani social media personality, known for her content on Instagram. By mid-2025, she had half a million followers and had become especially popular among Pakistani youth.
Sana Yousaf used her social media presence to promote Chitrali culture and advocate for girls' education, often posting content that highlighted traditional clothing and the importance of female empowerment. According to her father, Syed Yusuf Hasan Shah (a social worker hailing from Upper Chitral), she aspired to pursue a career in medicine with the aim of serving the people of Pakistan.
Yousaf was known for spending the money she earned through social media and advertising to help underprivileged girls. According to her parents, she often gave the clothes she had received for branding purposes to underprivileged girls after the advertising had been completed. A lawyer involved in the case also claimed that Yousaf had begun supporting the expenses of underprivileged girls.
On 2 June 2025, she was fatally shot at her home in Sector G-13/1, Islamabad, Pakistan. At the time of her death, she was a second-year student and had just turned 17. The case received nationwide media attention and sparked widespread outrage on social media platforms.
Death
On 2 June 2025, a 22-year-old man named Umar Hayat reportedly entered Sana Yousaf's residence in the G-13/1 sector of Islamabad, armed with a pistol, and after a confrontation, fatally shot her twice in the chest.
At the time, her father was away from home and her younger brother was in Chitral. Yousaf's paternal aunt, who was present in the house at the time of the incident, initially mistook the sound of gunfire for a balloon popping due to the muffled noise. Hayat then attempted to shoot her as well, but the gun failed to discharge, after which he fled the scene. Her mother was also present at the scene and was reportedly calling for help for Sana following the shooting. Later, some neighbours helped place Sana into a car, but she succumbed to her injuries before she could be taken for medical treatment. After her death was confirmed, her body was taken to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, where an autopsy was conducted. She was buried in her ancestral village, Chuinj in Upper Chitral.
Hayat was arrested in Faisalabad shortly after the incident. During interrogation, he confessed to murdering Sana. Authorities said his motive for the murder was that she had rejected his "offers of friendship" and his attempts to meet her, but her family said she had never mentioned him or talked about noticing any threatening behaviour. Hayat was transferred to Adiala Jail on a 14-day physical remand to facilitate an identification parade. The court directed that the identification process be completed and a report submitted by 18 June 2025. On 13 June 2025, Sana Yousaf’s mother and aunt identified Hayat during an identification parade conducted at Adiala Jail. On 20 June 2025, a local court in Islamabad extended his physical remand by three more days, adjourning the case until 23 June. On 23 June 2025, the court ordered that he was remanded to jail on judicial remand, noting that further police custody was no longer required. These are selected developments in the case and do not represent a complete timeline of proceedings. Hayat was indicted on 20 September 2025 and denied the charges. He had earlier confessed before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, but later retracted the statement while testifying before the trial court. On 19 May 2026, an Islamabad sessions court convicted Hayat and sentenced him to death. Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka also sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment and imposed a Rs 2 million fine.
On 8 July 2025, the Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights took up the murder case of Sana Yousaf and the Swat incident. The session was also attended by Sana Yousaf’s parents, who had been specially invited, as well as Senator Falak Naz.
Reaction
The murder of Sana Yousaf sparked widespread outrage across Pakistan and attracted international media coverage. On social media, users expressed grief, anger, and called for justice, while the incident reignited discussions about violence against women and the safety of public figures in digital spaces.
On 5 June 2025, Aurat March Islamabad organised a protest outside the National Press Club to demand justice for Sana Yousaf. The demonstration attracted a diverse group of participants, including students, working women, domestic workers, and other concerned citizens. Protesters carried banners with slogans such as "Saying No is My Right" and "Those who kill in the name of honour are the greatest dishonourable", emphasising women's rights and condemning gender-based violence. The protest called for the government, police, and judiciary to take immediate and strict action against the accused and to implement measures to protect women and deter similar crimes in the future.
Verdict
Umar Hayat has been sentenced to death. The court has also ordered him to pay 2.5 million rupees ($9,000 USD) compensation to Sana Yousaf's family.