Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the death of a university graduate who reportedly died by suicide after allegedly being defrauded of millions of rupees in a visa and university admission scam, directing authorities to arrest the suspect.
Police and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) officials said the prime minister contacted Islamabad Inspector General of Police Mohammad Sohail Chaudhry and Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf, instructing them to apprehend the man accused of deceiving the student. The inspector general briefed the premier on the incident.
Islamabad police registered a case against the suspect on Saturday under Sections 322 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code, following a complaint filed by Mohammad Aijaz, a Sargodha resident living in Sector G-10.
The suspect allegedly obtained millions of rupees from the student and her family through fraudulent claims, after which the student reportedly took her own life.
The Minister of State for Interior and Narcotics Control also contacted FIA officials and directed them to take strict action against the accused.
The FIA’s Islamabad Zone has launched an investigation and is conducting raids at multiple locations to trace and arrest the suspect, according to an official statement.
The director of the FIA Islamabad Zone also visited the deceased student’s residence, met her family and collected information about the incident.
According to the agency, the suspect allegedly gained the family’s confidence by misrepresenting his identity and professional credentials before collecting money for various purposes.
The FIA said the man was not a registered visa agent but allegedly claimed to be employed as an accountant at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He subsequently made contradictory statements about his identity and employment.
The agency stated that Rs550,000 was allegedly paid to the suspect to secure a job for the student’s brother, while another Rs7.2 million was handed over to him on the promise of securing the student’s admission to Harvard University in the United States.
The FIA said it was examining the payments and representations made by the suspect, adding that further legal action would be taken as the investigation progressed.
The deceased, identified as Laiba, had recently completed her bachelor’s degree from the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). The suspect allegedly carried out the fraud with the assistance of a female accomplice.
According to police, Laiba’s father contacted the police helpline after she went missing, reporting that she was experiencing severe psychological distress.
Following an examination of call detail records and location data, police and family members searching for her found her body hanging by a scarf from a tree inside a fenced area of the green belt near G-10 Sunday Bazaar.
Her body was transported to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) in an Edhi ambulance.
After the post-mortem examination, her clothing and biological samples were collected, sealed and sent for forensic analysis. The formal autopsy report is still awaited.
Investigators have also secured visa documents allegedly provided by the suspect. A special police team has been formed to trace and arrest both the man and his alleged female accomplice.
Police sources said the suspect’s name had been placed on the stop list to prevent him from leaving the country.
The family reportedly arranged the money paid to the suspect by selling a plot of land and gold jewellery.
The investigation into the alleged fraud and the circumstances surrounding Laiba’s death is ongoing.
