Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the visa fraud case linked to the death of an IIUI graduate in Islamabad, Dawn reported on Sunday. He told officials to arrest the accused. The student, Laiba, died on Friday. Her family says an education agent cheated them of millions of rupees over a promised US university admission. Wire Examiner first reported the story on Saturday.
What the prime minister ordered
Sharif met the Islamabad police chief and the chief commissioner, according to Dawn. He demanded the arrest of the accused. After that, the police chief briefed him on the case. Meanwhile, the minister of state for interior contacted officers of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and called for strict action.
Case registered, special team formed
Police registered a case on Saturday under sections that include 322 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Laiba’s father filed the complaint. It alleges that the accused, with a female accomplice, defrauded the family of millions of rupees. As a result, police formed a special team to trace both suspects.
Police sources said the family raised the money by selling a plot and gold ornaments. In addition, the autopsy report is still pending, and investigators sealed samples for forensic examination.
What the FIA says
The FIA’s Islamabad Zone has opened its own investigation. Its director visited the family home and collected details. According to the agency, the accused won the family’s trust by misrepresenting his identity and status.
The FIA says he was not a registered visa agent. Instead, he claimed to be an accountant at the Supreme Court. Later, his accounts of who he was and where he worked kept changing. The family paid Rs550,000 for a job for Laiba’s brother, the agency said. They also paid Rs7.2 million on the pretext of securing her admission to Harvard University.
The agency is now examining these payments and claims. Further legal action will follow, it added.
Why the case matters
Many families in Pakistan borrow money or sell property to fund study abroad. Therefore, fraud by unregistered agents is a recurring risk. Advocates have urged stricter rules for education consultants. Experts also advise checking admission offers directly with the university before paying anyone.
All of this remains allegations for now. No court has ruled, and officials have not publicly named the accused.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please talk to someone you trust. Rozan’s counseling helpline in Pakistan is 0304-111-1741, open Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. In an emergency, contact local emergency services.
Sources: Dawn, Aaj News, Samaa.
