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Seventeen-year-old Sana Yousaf was shot dead in her home on June 2, 2025 by Umer Hayat. According to the police, she rejected Hayat’s advances repeatedly. He was arrested hours later and what followed was an almost year-long fight, which saw Pakistanis rally to demand justice for the young girl. On Tuesday, a sessions court in Islamabad sentenced Hayat to death for intentional murder, ordering him to pay Rs2.5 million as compensation to her bereaved family.

While the sentence awaits confirmation from the Islamabad High Court, Pakistanis on X are saying justice has finally been served.

Netizens said every victim deserves justice.

Sana’s parents spoke to the media after the judgment was announced. Her mother, Farzana, thanking the team of lawyers for their efforts and police for their cooperation, said justice had been served. She thanked the judge and the media, noting that the “media supported us from the beginning”.

“The culprit has been handed the right punishment,” she said.

Sana’s father, Yousaf Hassan, said, “We had been waiting for today for the past 11 months […] and the judiciary has given its verdict in the spirit of justice.”

Thanking his lawyers, he said: “This verdict is not just for me as an individual; it is for the entire society. This is a lesson for all such criminals in society that if they commit such an act, they can get such a result.”