Sana Yousaf Murder: Prime Accused Retracts Confession, Claims He Was Framed

ISLAMABAD – The prime accused in the murder of 17-year-old TikTok star Sana Yousaf has retracted his confession during a trial court hearing, claiming he was tortured by police and falsely implicated in the case.

Umar Hayat, who last year confessed to a magistrate that he shot and killed Yousaf, on Monday denied all charges against him in a statement under Section 342 of the Criminal Procedure Code. During the hearing before Judge Muhammad Afzal Majoka, Hayat initially refused to answer any questions without his lawyer present. The judge questioned him about incriminating evidence, including whether a number saved as ‘Kaka’ on the victim’s phone belonged to him, but Hayat remained silent. The proceedings were also marked by a heated exchange between the judge and the defense counsel over an alleged video being recorded inside the courtroom, with the judge warning it would amount to misconduct if it went viral.

Once his counsel was present, Hayat, 23, gave a detailed statement denying any connection to the crime. He claimed he never had contact with Yousaf, did not rent the vehicle allegedly used in the murder, and was not in Islamabad on the day of the killing. He alleged that the car rental agreement was forged and that there was no CCTV footage to place him at the scene. Hayat stated he was arrested from his home in Jaranwala on suspicion and that police told Yousaf’s family, “this is your accused.”

Hayat further alleged that he was tortured in custody, forced to sign seven blank pages, and pressured to confess. He dismissed his previous confessional statement, claiming he did not know its contents. He also contended that the police identification parade was defective and that he was implicated due to public pressure on social media, as both he and Yousaf were well-known TikTokers. He described the case as a “blind murder” and denied ownership of the pistol allegedly recovered from him.

The reversal is a stark contrast to his detailed confession last year, made under Section 164 of the CrPC. In that statement, Hayat admitted to developing a one-sided obsession with Yousaf, travelling from Jaranwala to Islamabad in a rented Toyota Fortuner with a pistol, and fatally shooting her twice in the chest in front of her mother. He had stated he then took her mobile phone to erase their conversations and later expressed remorse for his actions. Yousaf’s killing last June drew nationwide condemnation and renewed debate on women’s safety in Pakistan.