Key Takeaways
- A 20-year-old student, Laiba Aijaz, died by suicide after being defrauded of Rs5 million.
- The suspect, who previously worked in the Quetta Anti-Corruption Department, is accused of operating a gang that defrauded multiple people.
- Police seek 10-day remand to investigate the case further.
An Islamabad court has granted police a five-day remand to investigate a case involving the alleged fraud of a young woman who died by suicide. The 20-year-old student, identified as Laiba Aijaz, was defrauded of Rs5 million, which she had paid to move to the United States for further studies.
According to police, Laiba Aijaz, who studied in the BS Physics programme at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) from 2019 to 2023, was promised a US study visa by a fraudulent agent. The suspect allegedly obtained the money from her family, with Laiba’s father, Mohammad Aijaz, agreeing to pay Rs9.3 million to arrange his daughter’s travel to the US.
However, the suspect provided fake travel documents and a fraudulent transaction receipt, leading to Laiba’s suicide. The case drew the government’s attention, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif directing the police to arrest the suspect. The suspect and two female accomplices were later picked up during separate raids in the federal capital.
On Monday, the main suspect was produced before Judicial Magistrate Zunaira Zafar with his face covered. Police sought a 10-day physical remand in the case registered at Ramna police station. The investigating officer told the court that a thorough examination of the facts and circumstances surrounding the incident was necessary.
The officer said further investigation was required to determine the suspect’s alleged role in the incident and verify the available evidence. Items linked to him and other potential evidence also needed to be examined. The allegations against the suspect remain subject to investigation.
Preliminary investigation showed that the main suspect, who had previously served in the Quetta Anti-Corruption Department and was dismissed, had also defrauded other people and minted millions of rupees. The case was registered under Sections 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Pakistan Penal Code.
A separate case was registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a complaint lodged by Laiba’s maternal uncle under provisions relating to cheating, abetment, and immigration-related fraud. The FIA said the suspects had also provided fake scholarship award letters, admission offers, and university fee payment receipts.
The suspect is accused of operating a gang with the two women and others, defrauding multiple people and minting millions of rupees. The case highlights the ongoing issue of visa fraud and the need for stringent measures to protect vulnerable individuals.
