ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered authorities to swiftly arrest suspects accused of defrauding university student Laiba Ejaz, as the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) investigates the alleged fraud linked to her death by suicide.
Shehbaz Sharif expressed sorrow over the death of Ejaz, a student at the International Islamic University Islamabad, and called for immediate action against those involved in the case.
He instructed Islamabad’s inspector general of police and chief commissioner to ensure the prompt arrest of the main suspect and said those responsible should face legal consequences.
Meanwhile, the Federal Investigation Agency has intensified efforts to locate and arrest the suspects. FIA Director Shehzad Bukhari said investigators had identified the primary suspect and formed teams to carry out the arrests.
A gold medalist in physics from Islamabad’s International Islamic University has died after allegedly discovering that documents provided for her planned admission to Harvard University in the United States were fake.
Laiba had completed her bachelor’s degree in physics and hoped to continue her education abroad. Her family reportedly made significant financial sacrifices to support her plans. Her death has drawn attention to an alleged education scam in which a consultant promised to secure her university admission and scholarship in exchange for millions of rupees.
Laiba’s body was found hanging from a tree near G-10 Sunday Market in Islamabad on Friday, Oct. 9. The incident falls within the jurisdiction of the Ramna police station.
Police are investigating the circumstances surrounding her death, while officials are awaiting the postmortem report to determine the cause of death.
According to her family, the consultant demanded Rs.7 million to arrange her admission to a university in the United States. The consultant allegedly provided an admission letter and scholarship documents claiming to be connected to Harvard University. However, the family later discovered that the documents were fake.
According to Shehzad Bukhari, the suspect, identified as Nauman, allegedly posed as an accountant working at the Supreme Court. He said a woman was also suspected of participating in the alleged fraud.
Investigators have obtained information about Nauman, while both suspects have been placed on a stop list to prevent them from leaving the country, Bukhari said.
The agency has launched operations to locate the two individuals, with investigation teams continuing their efforts to bring them into custody.
Authorities are continuing to investigate the alleged fraud and its connection to Ejaz’s death. The allegations against the suspects have not been established in court yet.
