Laiba Ijaz, 24, a physics gold medallist, was found dead in Islamabad on October 9 amid growing public outrage over her death. Her family said they had paid millions of rupees to a man who promised her admission to Harvard University, only to discover the documents he provided were fake.
Ijaz recalled how he sold a plot and family jewellery to pay Noman 7.2 million rupees ($25,900) after Noman claimed Harvard needed proof of funds. The family showed the documents to a travel agent, who found the Boston ticket was fake, and a lawyer neighbour, who told them none of the documents was genuine. The family learned the truth on October 6, Ijaz said.
Noman, accused of the fraud, was arrested two days after Laiba's death and died on October 20 after being shot while in police custody. Police said his accomplices opened fire 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. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered Noman's arrest a day after Laiba died. Police and the Federal Investigation Agency registered separate cases. The FIA said Noman was not a registered visa agent.
Pakistan's government does not regulate its foreign education consultancies, according to the industry body All Pakistan Association of Foreign Education and Immigration Consultants. Nushmiya Sukhera, cofounder of a Lahore college consultancy, told Al Jazeera: "I do not know of a regulatory body that checks or registers education consultants. No education consultancy can guarantee admission."
Laiba was among a growing number of Pakistanis seeking to study in the US. During the 2024-2025 school year, more than 13,000 Pakistani students were enrolled at US institutions, a 75 percent increase from 2017-2018, according to the Institute of International Education's Open Doors report.
A senior police official, speaking to Al Jazeera on condition of anonymity, said investigations into Laiba's death were ongoing.
Authorities are investigating the attack on Noman, but no one has been arrested yet. The remaining forensic report usually takes 15 to 20 days.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The case exposes a regulatory void: Pakistan does not have a body that registers or checks education consultancies, leaving students vulnerable to fraud.
- Public outrage over the death and the killing of the accused in police custody has eroded trust in law enforcement and the justice system.
- It highlights the pressures and risks faced by Pakistani students pursuing foreign education, especially in the US, where enrolment has surged 75% in seven years.
Background
Laiba Ijaz was a gold medallist in physics from the International Islamic University Islamabad, where she studied on scholarships. She taught science at a school and gave private tuition. Her family, including three sisters, had no history of foreign study, though one sister had spent a year in China on a scholarship. Her father, who studied until eighth grade, supported her ambition to pursue higher education in the US. The family met Muhammad Noman at a call centre where Laiba worked and later at their dairy shop; he claimed to work at the Supreme Court and offered to help with the application.
Key Perspectives
Rana Muhammad Ijaz (father): blames Noman for his daughter's death, saying he killed her, not suicide, and that "whatever happened was right" regarding Noman's killing.
Zaid bin Afzal (brother-in-law): said after finding the body that Laiba "could not have done this herself."
Senior police official (anonymous): said initial findings point to suicide, supported by footage of Laiba leaving home alone; the remaining forensic report is pending.
Nushmiya Sukhera (consultant, CollegeWorks): states there is no regulatory body for education consultancies and that "no education consultancy can guarantee admission."
What to Watch
- Completion of the forensic report expected within 15-20 days and any official determination on the cause of death.
- Police investigation into the attack on Noman and whether any accomplices are arrested.
- Possible government action on regulating foreign education consultancies, given public and political attention.