Laiba Ijaz: IIUI Gold Medalist — The Full Story

The story of Laiba Ijaz IIUI gold medalist has shaken Pakistan. A 22-year-old physics graduate who earned a gold medal from the International Islamic University Islamabad, Laiba dreamed of studying in the United States. Instead, her family says, she was ensnared in an alleged study visa scam that cost them millions — and she was found dead in Islamabad’s G-10 sector on 9 October 2026. The case has triggered a Federal Investigation Agency probe, arrests, and a national conversation about the predators who target students chasing foreign degrees.

Laiba Ijaz IIUI: Who She Was

Laiba, daughter of Muhammad Ijaz, had recently completed her BS degree in Physics from IIUI with a gold medal — the highest academic honour of her graduating class. She wanted to pursue a master’s degree abroad and become a scientist. According to her family, the university had even offered her a scholarship opportunity in Saudi Arabia, but a consultant convinced her he could secure something better: admission and a scholarship in the United States, reportedly at Harvard.

Her family belongs to Islamabad’s lower-middle class. Her father earns his living selling milk door to door from his motorcycle, and the family lived in a rented flat in G-10 Markaz. Everything that followed was funded by extraordinary sacrifice.

The Alleged Scam: What the Family Says

According to relatives, a consultant identified in media reports as Nauman demanded around Rs7 million to arrange Laiba’s admission and scholarship. To raise it, her father sold the family’s only plot of land, handing over Rs2.1 million in cash as a down payment, while her mother pledged her jewellery with a bank for additional funds. The family says the consultant then provided documents purporting to confirm her admission and scholarship — documents that, when Laiba had them verified, turned out to be fake.

The FIA’s case puts the alleged fraud even higher: its FIR alleges Rs9.3 million was obtained from the family through fake scholarship award letters, admission offers and fee receipts, with Rs2.9 million transferred from Laiba’s bank account and the rest paid in cash. The family also alleges the suspect took another Rs500,000 on the promise of arranging a job for Laiba’s brother. All of these allegations are subject to investigation and legal proceedings.

The Investigation and Arrests

Police and the FIA moved quickly after Laiba was found dead in a green belt near Sunday Bazaar, within the jurisdiction of Ramna Police Station. CCTV footage of her leaving home was recovered as part of the inquiry. The prime suspect, Muhammad Nauman, was taken into custody, and investigators say he confessed to visa fraud, with evidence of fraud and blackmail allegedly recovered from his phone. The FIA has also arrested two women in connection with the case and named another suspect, Fatima Sarwar. A case has been registered under sections 419, 420 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Emigration Ordinance, 1979.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and directed Islamabad’s police chief and chief commissioner to ensure action against those responsible. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the bereaved family, offered condolences and assured them the investigation would be pursued. The exact circumstances of Laiba’s death remain under investigation, with a post-mortem examination conducted.

A National Wake-Up Call on Education Scams

Laiba’s death has renewed attention on fraudulent education consultants who promise foreign admissions, scholarships and visas in exchange for large payments. Genuine overseas study never requires handing over millions to an unverified middleman. Students and parents should verify every admission offer directly with the university, confirm a consultant’s credentials, never transfer money against photocopied “award letters,” and report suspicious operators to the FIA or the NCCIA, Pakistan’s cybercrime agency.

For students planning their own academic journeys, our guides to scholarships in Pakistan and fully funded international scholarships explain legitimate routes to funding — including how real scholarship programmes actually work.

What Happens Next

The FIA says it is examining whether more people were involved and whether the suspects ran similar operations against other families. The suspects remain in custody as the investigation continues, and the courts will determine guilt. Laiba’s father has urged parents everywhere to verify consultants before trusting them with money — a message born of devastating personal loss.

If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out to a trusted person or a local support helpline. You are not alone.

Details of the FIA case were reported by SuperNews. Follow our Pakistan News section for updates on the investigation.