Court rejects plea to transfer murder trial of TikToker Sana Yousuf

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has rejected a plea to transfer the trial in the murder case of TikToker Sana Yousuf, directing that proceedings continue in the same court.

Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar dismissed a petition filed by the accused, Umar Hayat, who had expressed lack of confidence in the trial judge and sought a transfer of the case. The court ruled that the trial will proceed before Additional District and Sessions Judge Afzal Majuka.

Meanwhile, hearings continued in the trial court, where the prosecution recorded the statement of another witness. Public prosecutor Raja Naveed Hussain Kiani appeared before the court during the proceedings.

The hearing was later adjourned until April 30 after the defense counsel fell ill during cross-examination, preventing further proceedings.

Sana Yousuf was shot dead at her residence in Islamabad’s Sector G-13 on June 2, 2025. Police arrested the accused from Faisalabad within 20 hours of the incident and recovered the alleged murder weapon.

According to investigators, the accused had been attempting to contact the victim repeatedly and allegedly carried out the attack after she refused. Police also said the accused later confessed to the crime in a statement recorded under Section 164.