The prime suspect in a Rs5 million fraud case involving a university student who allegedly died by suicide has been killed in what Islamabad police described as an armed attempt by his accomplices to free him from custody.
The case involves Laiba Ijaz, a 20-year-old student at the International Islamic University, who was allegedly defrauded of Rs5 million after paying an agent to arrange her travel to the United States for higher education.
According to reports, the agent provided Laiba with travel documents that were subsequently discovered to be fraudulent. The student later allegedly died by suicide.
The incident attracted national attention, prompting Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to direct police to apprehend those responsible.
Following the directive, Islamabad police arrested the principal suspect and two alleged female accomplices during separate raids in the federal capital.
Police Claim Accomplices Opened Fire During Operation
According to an Islamabad police spokesperson, the main suspect had provided investigators with information about another individual allegedly involved in the fraud.
A police team was transporting him to help locate the second suspect when the incident occurred within the jurisdiction of Ramna police station.
Police claimed that four armed individuals riding two motorcycles intercepted the team and opened indiscriminate fire in an attempt to secure the suspect’s release.
The spokesperson said the detained suspect was struck by gunfire during the attack, while police personnel escaped injury because they were wearing bulletproof jackets and had taken protective measures.
The injured suspect was rushed to hospital, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
Police attributed the fatal shooting to the suspect’s alleged accomplices. The circumstances of the incident have not been independently verified.
Authorities said search operations were underway to locate and arrest the four attackers.
The case has drawn attention to alleged fraud involving overseas education and immigration arrangements, as well as the circumstances surrounding the student’s death.