Syed Yusuf Hassan, father of Sana Yusuf, says she was very brave and wants to become a doctor
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-June 5th, 2025) The father of 21-year-old TikToker Sana Yusuf, who was tragically murdered on June 2 in Islamabad, has recounted the terrifying events of the day, shedding light on the moments leading up to her death. According to him, his sister, who was at home during the incident, initially thought it was the sound of a balloon popping, unaware that a brutal act of violence was unfolding.
In an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) from his village in Chitral, Sana’s father, Syed Yusuf Hassan, shared that his daughter was their only child and described her as “very brave.” He recalled that he was near his house that day, sitting with a friend, when he received a call informing him about an emergency.
“I was told there was an emergency, and I should come right away. I asked them to bring her to the hospital while I waited. However, when I reached the hospital, the doctor confirmed that Sana had already passed away,” he said.
Yusuf Hassan explained that after the initial confirmation of Sana's death, hospital staff directed them to PIMS (Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences) for legal formalities. "It was around 5 PM when we were sent to PIMS. The entire legal process took until 12:30 AM, by which time we finally received her body," he said.
He continued, "We then performed her funeral prayer and left for Chitral, where we arrived at 7 PM the following evening."
Describing how the assailant had entered their home, Yusuf Hassan said, "The boy must have done some reconnaissance before entering. My younger sister was inside the house, and when he entered, she heard what she thought was a balloon popping. She went to check and found the door to Sana’s room open. The boy came out of the room and aimed a pistol at my sister, but the gun didn’t fire. He attempted to shoot her, then ran downstairs."
Yusuf Hassan added that his sister shouted for help, running into the street and warning others about the intruder. "At that point, she had no idea that he had shot Sana. When she returned inside, she found her niece lying on the floor and immediately called out for help. They quickly put Sana into a vehicle."
He further revealed that Sana’s mother, who had been sent to the market by Sana herself to buy some items for Eid, arrived shortly after. "The killer took advantage of the moment when she was alone in the house and murdered her," Yusuf Hassan said.
When asked about the motive behind the murder, he strongly denied any personal rivalry. “There was no enmity, no conflict. We raised our daughter well, and before allowing her to use social media, we made sure she had proper training,” he said.
Yusuf Hassan described his daughter as a courageous young woman who didn’t take threats seriously. “She didn’t pay attention to these threats, which is why she never shared them with me,” he said. Sana had only recently started using social media for about a year or so, he added.
He expressed confidence in his daughter’s choices and aspirations.
“She wanted to become a doctor, and she had a keen interest in the medical field, performing well in her studies. I even suggested she join an academy for CSS (Civil Services Examination), but she was determined to pursue medicine,”.
Yusuf Hassan shared that he has two children: his son, 15, who was in the village at the time, and Sana, his only daughter.
When asked about his satisfaction with the ongoing police investigation and the arrest of the suspect, Yusuf Hassan expressed gratitude. “I’m thankful to the Islamabad police and all the agencies involved. They arrested the suspect within 22 hours and recovered important evidence including his mobile phone,” he said.
He said, “The killer has been apprehended, and I am fully satisfied. I thank the IG Islamabad and the entire Islamabad police team for their prompt action,”.
