Gold medallist IIUI student found dead in Islamabad amid allegations of Rs7 million US admission fraud
Body of 22-year-old Laiba Ejaz recovered from green belt near G-10 Sunday Bazaar; family alleges fake Harvard letter and payments to man posing as Supreme Court staff; FIA and prime minister order action.
ISLAMABAD, October 10: The body of a 22-year-old gold medallist graduate of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) was recovered on Friday from a green belt in the capital, with her family alleging that she had been defrauded of around Rs7 million in a fake US university admission scheme.
Police identified the deceased as Laiba Ejaz, daughter of Muhammad Ejaz, an unmarried resident of Flat No. 8, Gulistan Plaza, G-10 Markaz. Her body was found in the green belt near the old Traffic Police check-post adjacent to the Sunday Bazaar (Itwar Bazaar), within the jurisdiction of Ramna Police Station. Preliminary medico-legal examination indicated a ligature mark consistent with hanging, with no apparent marks of struggle or torture. The final cause of death remains subject to the full post-mortem report, histopathology and chemical examiner findings. Viscera samples have been sent to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and her mobile phone to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.
Gold Medallist Dreamed of Studying at Harvard
According to the family, Laiba had completed her BS (Honours) in Physics from IIUI with a gold medal. The university had offered her a scholarship for further studies in Saudi Arabia, but she aspired to pursue an MS in Physics at Harvard University in the United States and become a scientist. She contacted various people in search of a pathway. An individual named Nauman, who first made contact online, later met her in Blue Area, Islamabad. He introduced himself as an accountant at the Supreme Court and at times claimed to be an officer of a sensitive agency. He promised to arrange admission and a scholarship at an American university, including Harvard, and demanded approximately Rs70 million.
Family Sells Property and Takes Loans
The family, who live in a rented flat, said Laiba’s father earns a living by selling milk on a motorcycle. He sold a plot of land and paid Rs2.1 million in cash. The mother’s jewellery was deposited with a bank as collateral, and additional loans were taken to meet the remaining amount. Nauman provided what was presented as a Harvard University admission offer letter for the Master of Science in Physics programme (2026–2027 session) with a 70 percent scholarship under an “International Merit Program.” When Laiba applied for a US visa and attended the interview at the American Embassy, the documents were found to be fake.
Family members said she sent a final message to her maternal uncle, Rana Amjad, asking him not to tell her father about the fraud, saying he would not survive the news. She left home around 2 pm without informing anyone. Her location was later traced to the green belt where her body was recovered.
FIA Launches Action Against Suspected Fraud
The case gained rapid attention on social media. The Federal Investigation Agency took notice. Director FIA Islamabad Shahzad Bukhari visited the family home, collected information and received a written complaint. Director General FIA Usman Anwar also contacted the family. Officials said Nauman was not a genuine education agent or consultant. His name, along with that of a woman allegedly involved, has been placed on the stop list, and teams have been despatched for his arrest. Action is also being pursued under the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency.
Prime Minister Orders Immediate Arrest
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and described the death of the young student as extremely unfortunate. He directed the Inspector General of Islamabad Police and the Chief Commissioner to ensure the immediate arrest of the person accused of defrauding Laiba and to ensure he is punished in accordance with the law.
Police have recorded the incident and are investigating from multiple angles, including the alleged financial fraud and the circumstances of the death. An FIR was not immediately registered pending a written complaint from the legal heirs, though the FIA has since received one. Funeral prayers were held and the body was laid to rest.
The case has drawn attention to the vulnerability of ambitious students and their families to fraudulent education consultants and individuals posing as officials. Investigations by police and the FIA remain underway.
