Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka announced the verdict after hearing arguments from both sides and reviewing evidence presented during the trial.
During the proceedings, the prosecution presented digital evidence including screenshots of calls and chat records allegedly connected to the accused.
The defence counsel objected to parts of the proceedings, arguing that the accused had already expressed no confidence in both the state counsel and the trial court.
The lawyer also informed the court that two related petitions were pending before the Islamabad High Court and maintained that deciding the punishment before those matters were resolved would be unfair.
A day earlier, Umar Hayat had pleaded not guilty to the charges and denied any involvement in Sana Yousaf’s murder.
During the hearing, he told the court that he had neither confessed to the crime nor made any disclosure statement regarding the killing. He also denied having any contact with the victim.
However, the court questioned the accused regarding a phone number saved as “Kaka” in Sana Yousaf’s mobile phone.
According to the prosecution, forensic analysis linked that number to Umar Hayat.
When confronted with the evidence, the accused responded that he could not answer the question without consulting his lawyer.
