Significant progress has been made in the investigation of the alleged murder of a Punjab University student, who was fatally shot.
The incident reportedly took place near the university’s sports gymnasium, where the victim, identified as Rana Ammar, was shot while seated in the front seat of a vehicle. Sources allege that the shooter, a student named Huzaifa, was sitting in the rear seat of the same vehicle and fled the scene immediately after the incident.
Following the shooting, Dilawar, another student, and an unidentified individual transported Ammar in a separate vehicle to Sheikh Zayed Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment. Both individuals were later detained by police for questioning.
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Victim’s family demands justice
The victim’s uncle, Rana Irshad, expressed deep sorrow over Ammar’s death, stating that his nephew had no affiliation with any student group and bore no enmity toward anyone. He called for justice, demanding that those responsible be punished.
PU administration denies campus shooting
In a press conference on Thursday, PU Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr. Khalid Mahmood, along with the registrar and chief security officer, addressed the rumors surrounding the alleged campus shooting.
Dr. Mahmood confirmed receiving reports of a student being shot and later dying but insisted that their investigation found no evidence of gunfire on university grounds. “The Islami Jamiat Talaba (IJT) activists reported firing at five locations, but police and security staff found no evidence, including bullet shells or blood, at any of these places,” he stated.
He claimed the university’s investigation showed no eyewitnesses to the shooting on campus and suggested that the exact location of the incident remains uncertain. “We do not know where in the city the incident occurred,” he added.
Administration rejects IJT allegations
Dr. Mahmood accused IJT activists of spreading false information and blamed them for vandalizing university property, including the administrative block and the canteen. He urged students and staff to refrain from protests until the facts are uncovered, emphasizing the administration’s commitment to cooperating with authorities in the investigation.
The PU administration reiterated that it would not succumb to pressure and urged the media and public to avoid believing unverified claims. The deceased, a gender studies student, was also the nephew of a university administrative officer, the Pro-VC noted.
Efforts are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident, and authorities continue to investigate.
