ISLAMABAD (MNN); Muhammad Nauman, a key suspect in the case involving International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) graduate Laiba Ijaz, died after allegedly being hit by bullets fired by his own accomplices during an attempt to free him from police custody, Islamabad Police said on Tuesday.
According to the police spokesperson, a team from Ramna Police Station was taking Nauman to recover evidence and other items on the basis of information provided by him when four alleged accomplices riding two motorcycles opened indiscriminate fire in an attempt to secure his release.
Nauman sustained gunshot wounds in the firing and was shifted to a hospital, where he later succumbed to his injuries. Police personnel remained unharmed due to their bulletproof jackets and other precautionary measures, the spokesperson said.
Search operations were under way to arrest the suspects involved in the attack.
Background: Alleged US visa and university admission fraud
According to reports published by Dawn, Geo News and Pakistan Today, Nauman was arrested in connection with allegations that Laiba Ijaz had been defrauded on the pretext of arranging admission to a US university, a scholarship and a visa.
Laiba, a gold medallist who had completed her BS degree at IIUI, reportedly aspired to pursue further studies in the United States. News reports said she died by suicide after discovering that documents provided to her in connection with the proposed travel and admission arrangements were allegedly fake.
According to details cited from the police investigation and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) case, Nauman and a female co-suspect, Fatima Sarwar, were accused of acting together to obtain approximately Rs9.3 million from Laiba and her family by promising to arrange a US visa and scholarship.
The allegations included the provision of allegedly forged scholarship award letters, university admission offer letters, fee-payment receipts and travel documents. Reports also said a purported bank transaction receipt showing a transfer of $20,000 had been provided in connection with the arrangements.
According to the FIR details reported by Dawn and Pakistan Today, payments allegedly included money transferred through Laiba’s bank account and cash handed over to the suspect. The family reportedly suffered substantial financial losses after the documents were found to be fake.
The FIA registered a separate case against Nauman and Fatima Sarwar under relevant provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Emigration Ordinance, 1979, following an inquiry into the alleged fraud. The investigation was intended to establish the role of the suspects and determine whether other individuals were involved.
Geo News also reported that investigators were examining allegations of online fraud and blackmail involving other women. Police sources reportedly said that forensic examination of Nauman’s mobile phone could help establish whether additional victims were involved.
In a separate development reported by BBC Urdu, Nauman was also allegedly linked to a fraud case in Mansehra involving claims that money had been collected from a family on the promise of securing Army and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) jobs. That case was separate from the investigation into Laiba’s death.
The allegations concerning the fraud, the role of other suspects and the circumstances surrounding Laiba’s death remain matters for investigation and legal proceedings.
