ISLAMABAD: A man arrested in connection with the suspected suicide of Pakistani university graduate Laiba Ijaz was killed in a shooting in Islamabad after four alleged accomplices reportedly attacked a police team transporting him to recover evidence, police said.
Muhammad Nauman, who was accused in the case involving Ijaz, sustained gunshot wounds during the incident within the jurisdiction of Ramna Police Station. According to Islamabad police, the attackers were attempting to free him from custody.
A police spokesperson said four alleged accomplices riding two motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire on the police team. Nauman was reportedly injured by gunfire from his own accomplices.
Police said the officers escaped injury because they were wearing bulletproof vests and had taken other protective measures. Nauman was taken to hospital for treatment but later died from his injuries.
Authorities said search operations were underway to arrest the suspects involved in the shooting.
Who Was Laiba Ijaz?
Laiba Ijaz, a gold medalist from the International Islamic University Islamabad, was found dead in the federal capital earlier this month. Police launched an investigation into her suspected suicide and allegations of financial fraud linked to a promised admission to a university in the United States.
Investigators were examining claims that a man posing as a government official had deceived Ijaz and her family by offering to arrange her admission abroad in exchange for money.
According to accounts given by relatives to local media, Ijaz’s father sold a plot of land to finance her education overseas. The family also reportedly pledged her mother’s jewellery to arrange additional funds.
The alleged fraud caused significant financial losses for the family, although authorities have not announced the final findings of their investigation.
Islamabad Student Suicide Case: Suspect Remanded for Five Days
Prime Minister Orders Action in Fraud Case
The case drew the attention of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who directed Islamabad’s police chief and chief commissioner to ensure the immediate arrest of the suspect and take legal action.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi subsequently visited the bereaved family and described the investigation as a test case for the authorities.
“This is a test case for us,” Naqvi told reporters during the visit.
He also pledged to personally follow the case and pursue those responsible.
“I can say that I will personally pursue their case,” he said.
The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) also launched an inquiry into the alleged financial fraud, while Islamabad police continued investigating the circumstances surrounding Ijaz’s death.
Investigation Continues After Suspect’s Death
Nauman’s death in the shooting has added another development to a case that has raised concerns about alleged education-related fraud and the financial exploitation of families seeking opportunities for their children abroad.
Police are searching for the four alleged accomplices who reportedly attacked the team transporting Nauman. Their identities and the circumstances leading to the shooting had not been disclosed in the initial police statement.
Authorities have also not announced the final findings regarding Ijaz’s death or confirmed whether any of the money allegedly taken from her family has been recovered.
The investigation into the alleged admission scam and the circumstances of the shooting remains ongoing.
