Law & Justice
Pakistani Family Loses Daughter After Fraudulent Harvard Admission Scam
By Abid Hussain
A 24‑year‑old physics graduate from the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI) was found dead near her home on October 9, 2024. Police investigations suggest she likely died by suicide after her family was defrauded of millions of rupees—tens of thousands of dollars—by a man who promised her admission to Harvard University in the United States. The fraudster, Muhammad Noman, was arrested on October 11 and died on October 20 after being shot while in police custody; police say the shooting was carried out by men attempting to free him. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the family on October 21 and handed over more than 5 million rupees ($18,000) that officials said had been recovered from Noman.
Laiba Ijaz, the daughter, was a physics gold medallist at IIUI and had taught science at an Islamabad school while giving tuition to children. She had won a scholarship to study in Saudi Arabia but preferred to pursue higher studies in the United States. She asked her father to pay for her studies abroad, and he agreed.
The family met Noman, who claimed to work at the Supreme Court and showed a service card. He offered to help with her application. The family paid 2.2 million rupees ($7,900) for university fees and later 7.2 million rupees ($25,900) to meet a supposed Harvard requirement for proof of funds. The father sold a plot of land and family jewellery to raise the money.
Documents that appeared to be a real application—including Harvard offer and scholarship letters, a U.S. immigration form, a sponsor’s affidavit from a New York relative, an embassy record with Laiba’s photograph, and a business‑class ticket to Boston—were later found to be fake. A lawyer neighbour confirmed none of the documents were genuine.
On October 9, Laiba left home after receiving a message from Noman. She was found dead at about 3:30 p.m., less than two hours after she left. Police postmortem findings initially point to suicide, with footage showing her leaving home with a phone in hand. The forensic report is expected in 15 to 20 days.
The case highlights a broader issue: Pakistan does not regulate education consultancies, and the Federal Investigation Agency says Noman was not a registered visa agent. The government has not yet established a regulatory body for such consultancies.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered Noman’s arrest a day after Laiba’s death. Police and the FIA have registered separate cases. Authorities are investigating the shooting that killed Noman, but no arrests have been made.
Laiba’s family, particularly her father, rejects the suicide conclusion, insisting that Noman was responsible for her death.