PM orders immediate arrest in Laiba Aijaz suspected suicide case

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of the suspected suicide of Laiba Aijaz, a student at Islamabad’s International Islamic University, and directed the Islamabad inspector general of police and the chief commissioner to immediately arrest the suspect accused of defrauding her.

“The incident involving the young student is extremely tragic,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement, adding that the suspect would be arrested and given exemplary punishment in accordance with the law.

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has also taken notice of the case. FIA Islamabad Director Shehzad Bukhari met Laiba’s family and received a written application from them, according to officials.

Bukhari said action would be taken against the alleged fraudster under the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).

He said the suspect had allegedly posed as an accountant of a superior court but had turned out to be a fraudster rather than a legitimate agent.

The FIA director said the case would be treated as a test case and that strict legal action would be pursued against those found responsible.

According to the family, Laiba had sought admission to a university in the United States to pursue higher education and had engaged an education consultant to facilitate the process.

Police officials said the family alleged that the consultant demanded Rs7 million for securing her admission. Her father reportedly sold a plot of land and paid an advance of Rs2.1 million, while the family also pledged her mother’s jewellery to arrange funds for the remaining amount.

The alleged fraud came to light when the family had the admission documents verified and discovered that they were fake, according to police officials.

Laiba, a gold medallist in her BS programme, reportedly suffered severe emotional distress after learning of the alleged fraud. The family has said she sent a final message to her maternal uncle, asking him not to tell her father about the matter.

Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding her suspected suicide and the alleged financial fraud.