Laiba Ejaz’s Father Says He Feels Justice Has Been Served After Death of Fraud Suspect

ISLAMABAD:The father of Laiba Ejaz, a gold medallist student who died following an alleged fraud in the federal capital, has said he feels a measure of justice has been delivered following the death of the prime suspect, Muhammad Nauman.

He thanked Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Islamabad Police for their efforts in the case, saying that although he would never be able to forget his daughter, the support of the state and the public had given his family strength during a difficult time.

According to ARY News, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry visited Laiba’s family at their residence in Sector G-10, Islamabad, on Wednesday.

During the visit, the interior minister expressed his condolences over Laiba’s death, offered prayers for the deceased and briefed the family on developments in the investigation.

Speaking on the occasion, Laiba’s father said he had often heard that the state was like a mother, but had now experienced what that meant in practice. He added that the pain of losing his daughter would remain with him for the rest of his life, while the support of officials and members of the public had helped him cope with the tragedy.

### More Than Rs5 Million Returned to Victim’s Family

According to reports published by _Jang_ and Express News, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi returned more than Rs5 million allegedly obtained through fraud to Laiba’s father.

Officials assured the family that efforts to recover the remaining money and resolve other financial matters related to the case would continue.

Islamabad Inspector General of Police, the chief commissioner and other senior officials were also present during the meeting.

Naqvi said police and relevant agencies had worked day and night on the case, adding that fulfilling the commitment made to the victim’s family was their responsibility.

### How Did the Suspect Die in Police Custody?

Muhammad Nauman, the prime suspect in the alleged fraud case involving Laiba, died on Tuesday, October 20, during a shooting incident within the jurisdiction of Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station.

According to Islamabad Police, the suspect was being taken for a recovery operation when four armed men travelling on two motorcycles opened fire on the police team in an alleged attempt to free him.

A police spokesperson claimed that Nauman was injured by gunfire from his alleged accomplices and later died at a hospital. Police personnel escaped injury because they were wearing bulletproof vests and had taken protective measures.

Police said efforts to trace the attackers were continuing.

However, the circumstances surrounding Nauman’s death have not been independently established through a judicial inquiry. The incident has raised questions about the need for transparent investigations whenever a suspect dies while in police custody.

### Investigation Reveals 21 More Alleged Fraud Victims

According to Express News, investigators discovered that Nauman had allegedly defrauded 21 other people in addition to Laiba.

Investigators reportedly recovered 21 purportedly fake appointment letters for jobs in the Ministry of Defence, which were allegedly used to obtain money from various individuals.

Laiba was a gold medallist at the International Islamic University Islamabad. According to her family and police, she was allegedly deceived into paying money and handing over jewellery after being promised opportunities for higher education and assistance in obtaining a visa for the United States.

The documents were subsequently found to be fake, and the case ended in the tragic loss of her life.

While Laiba’s father said the support he received from the public and government authorities had given him strength, the suspect’s death in police custody has renewed debate over the importance of due process, accountability and independent investigations in serious criminal cases.