Main accused in Laiba Ijaz suicide case killed in alleged police encounter in Islamabad

The investigation into the death of 22-year-old gold medalist Laiba Ijaz took a dramatic turn on Monday night when Mohammad Nauman,

ISLAMABAD:  The investigation into the death of 22-year-old gold medalist Laiba Ijaz took a dramatic turn on Monday night when Mohammad Nauman, the main accused in an alleged Rs 9.3 million scholarship fraud case, was killed during an alleged police encounter in the jurisdiction of Ramna Police Station.

According to Islamabad Police, Nauman was in police custody on physical remand and was being taken to recover evidence when four armed men riding two motorcycles allegedly opened fire on the police party in an attempt to help him escape.

Police Say Accused Was Killed by Accomplices

In an official statement, police said personnel remained unharmed because of bulletproof jackets and other protective measures. The statement claimed that the attackers’ gunfire struck Nauman, resulting in his death, while the assailants escaped from the scene.

Police have launched a search operation to trace the suspects involved in the alleged attack. Nauman’s body was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) for a post-mortem examination.

The incident has added another development to the high-profile case, which sparked outrage following the death of a promising university student allegedly targeted by fraudsters.

Alleged Rs 9.3 Million Harvard Scholarship Fraud

Laiba, daughter of Mohammad Ijaz, belonged to Sargodha and lived at Gulistan Plaza in Islamabad’s Ramna area. She had earned a gold medal in BS Physics from the International Islamic University Islamabad and aspired to pursue an MS in Physics at Harvard University to become a scientist.

According to the investigation, Nauman and his alleged female accomplice, Fatima Sarwar, defrauded Laiba and her family of Rs 9.3 million by promising to arrange her Harvard admission, visa and scholarship, along with a government job for her brother.

Investigators alleged that Nauman impersonated officials, claiming links to the Supreme Court, the 333 Brigade and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Approximately Rs 2.9 million was transferred through Laiba’s bank account, while the remaining amount was allegedly collected in cash.

Her father reportedly sold a plot worth Rs 2.1 million and handed over his wife’s jewellery to arrange the money. Investigators further alleged that fake online identities and documents, including purported Harvard admission letters and registration certificates, were created using ChatGPT.

Fake Documents and Student’s Death

Laiba reportedly discovered on October 7 that the admission documents were fake, just days before she planned to surprise her family with the news of her supposed admission on October 12. After her family demanded the jewellery’s return, Nauman allegedly stopped communicating with them.

On October 9, Laiba’s body was found hanging from a tree near a weekly bazaar in Sector G-10, close to an old traffic police check post. The case was subsequently investigated as a suspected suicide linked to the alleged fraud.

Previous Fraud Allegations and Ongoing Investigation

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry took notice of the case, while FIA Islamabad Director Shahzad Bukhari visited the bereaved family and obtained a written application.

Police also identified Nauman as a proclaimed offender wanted in a separate Mansehra case. According to the complaint, he and three others allegedly defrauded 12 family members by promising recruitment into the Pakistan Army and ISI.

With Nauman’s death, investigators are focusing on locating Fatima Sarwar, identifying the four alleged attackers and tracing the missing money and jewellery. Police said further investigation is underway.