A student of the International Islamic University Islamabad, Laiba, allegedly died by suicide after discovering that the documents provided by an agent for admission to a US university were fake, police said on Saturday. The victim's body was reportedly found hanging by the roadside in Islamabad's G-10 sector, within the jurisdiction of the Ramna police station.
According to police, the victim was distressed after discovering that the documents provided by the agent were fraudulent. Laiba's family revealed that she had completed her BS degree from the International Islamic University with a gold medal and wanted to pursue further studies abroad.
The family further stated that an immigration consultant had demanded Rs7 million to secure her admission to a US university. Laiba's father, who lived with his family in a rented flat and sold milk on a motorcycle, sold his plot and paid Rs2.1 million in cash to the agent.
The family added that Laiba's mother's jewellery was also mortgaged with a bank to arrange the remaining amount. They said when Laiba had the admission documents verified, she discovered that all of them were fake.
She sent a final message to her maternal uncle, stating: "Do not tell my father about the fraud committed against me. He will die." Police have expanded the scope of their investigation and are examining the case from different angles.
They stated that they had yet to receive Laiba's post-mortem report, adding that the actual cause of death would be determined once the report is received. The incident has sparked outrage among the student community, who are demanding a crackdown on fraudulent immigration consultants operating in the capital.
Authorities have assured the public that the agent involved in the scam will be identified and brought to justice as soon as possible. The police are currently reviewing CCTV footage from the area and tracking the financial transactions made by the victim's family to the suspect.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses and more evidence is gathered by the law enforcement agencies.