Pakistani physics gold medalist’s death sparks fraud investigation over fake US scholarship

Laiba Ejaz, a 24-year-old physics gold medalist, was found dead at a weekly market in Islamabad’s G-10 sector on October 9. Police said her body was hanging from a tree, with a scarf tied around her neck. Investigators are examining whether severe distress from an alleged education fraud contributed to her death.

The alleged fraud involved promises of Harvard admission, a scholarship, and a US visa. The suspects allegedly supplied forged admission letters, scholarship papers, and payment receipts. The family reportedly paid 9.3 million Pakistani rupees, partly through Ejaz’s bank account and partly in cash.

The case has widened beyond a private financial dispute. Islamabad Police and the Federal Investigation Agency launched investigations, while Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered a thorough inquiry. The FIA director called it an impersonation scam, alleging that a woman falsely posed as a US-based contact.

Ejaz’s family allegedly lost 9.3 million Pakistani rupees, which the article values at around $34,000. Preliminary findings said 2.9 million rupees moved through Ejaz’s bank account, while the rest was paid in cash. The amount represented years of sacrifice for the family.

Her father sold milk and yogurt on Islamabad’s streets and had bought a plot for the family home. He sold that plot to fund Laiba’s plans. Her mother pawned her jewelry to meet the consultant’s demands. These payments were made after promises of university admission, a scholarship, and a US visa.

The losses were therefore both financial and emotional. Laiba had earned a physics gold medal and hoped to become a scientist. Her family said questions about the documents and missing money caused her increasing distress. The alleged loss is now central to the criminal investigation.

An impersonation scam deceives victims by presenting someone as another person, institution, or trusted contact. The goal is to make false claims seem credible. In this case, FIA Director Gen. Usman Anwar said the case was an impersonation scam rather than a conventional education consultancy fraud.

According to the article, Muhammad Nauman claimed he could arrange admission, scholarships, and a visa. He allegedly said he had access to documents through a woman named Aiza, supposedly based in the United States. The FIA said the alleged female accomplice falsely presented herself as Nauman’s US contact. The pair allegedly supplied forged Harvard admission letters, scholarship documents, and receipts.

The alleged documents were challenged when Ejaz took a visa interview at the US Embassy in Islamabad. Officials rejected the admission letter. That rejection exposed the alleged deception and raised questions about the money and the documents’ authenticity. The investigation is still examining the full scheme.

The Federal Investigation Agency, or FIA, is investigating the alleged fraudulent admission, scholarship, and visa arrangement. Its director characterized the case as an impersonation scam. The FIA also registered a criminal case against Muhammad Nauman and Fatima Sarwar after a complaint from Ejaz’s maternal uncle, Amjad Ur Rehman.

Islamabad Police is examining the circumstances surrounding Ejaz’s death and was ordered to arrest those responsible. Police reportedly arrested Nauman during a late-night raid in Islamabad’s H-13 sector. Investigators also examined material from his phone, including possible links to other alleged fraud and blackmail schemes.

An FIR is a formal police record of an alleged crime in Pakistan. It sets the criminal investigation in motion. In this case, the FIR alleges that Nauman and Sarwar, with others, deceived the family through fraudulent scholarship and visa arrangements. The allegations remain subject to investigation.

The alleged deception had serious financial and emotional consequences. Ejaz’s family reportedly paid 9.3 million Pakistani rupees and made major sacrifices to support her education. Investigators believe the alleged deception caused severe psychological distress before her death. Her family said she became increasingly distressed as doubts grew about the documents and the missing money.

Ejaz had won a physics gold medal and hoped to study in the United States before becoming a scientist. The alleged Harvard letter was rejected at her US visa interview. That moment reportedly intensified questions about whether the promised admission, scholarship, and visa were genuine.

The case triggered national attention because it combined an alleged large-scale fraud with the death of a young academic achiever. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the death extremely tragic and ordered a thorough investigation. The FIA and Islamabad Police are pursuing the fraud and death-related inquiries, while Nauman and Sarwar face allegations.

Families should verify an admission offer through the university’s official admissions office, using contact details found independently rather than numbers supplied by a consultant. They should ask whether the applicant’s name, program, intake, and offer letter are genuine. A university should confirm the offer directly in writing.

Scholarships should be checked with the university or named funding body. Families should verify the scholarship terms, payment process, and eligibility before transferring money. Visa arrangements should be confirmed through the destination country’s official embassy or immigration channels. They should be wary of guaranteed visas, guaranteed scholarships, urgent deadlines, or demands for cash.

In Ejaz’s case, the alleged forged Harvard letter was rejected at the US Embassy. The family reportedly paid 9.3 million rupees after receiving promises and documents. Independent checks could expose inconsistencies earlier. Families should keep receipts, contracts, messages, and copies of documents, and seek qualified legal or institutional advice when claims cannot be verified.

International education usually involves separate decisions. A university reviews an application and issues an admission decision. A university or funding organization may offer a scholarship under stated conditions. The student then applies for a visa through the destination country’s official process. A consultant may help prepare applications, but cannot legitimately replace those institutions’ decisions.

Fraud becomes possible when families rely on one intermediary for every step. A dishonest consultant can present forged letters, invented contacts, fake receipts, or promises of guaranteed outcomes. The alleged scheme involving Ejaz followed this pattern: Nauman promised Harvard admission, a scholarship, and a US visa, while documents were allegedly supplied through a supposed US-based contact.

Families can be vulnerable because overseas study is expensive, complicated, and emotionally important. They may sell property or pawn jewelry, as Ejaz’s family reportedly did. Language barriers, unfamiliar procedures, and unequal access to official information can increase risk. Independent confirmation of each decision is therefore essential before payment.