ISLAMABAD – A promising young graduate’s dream of becoming scientist at Harvard University turned into heartbreaking tragedy, with shocking allegations of fraud coming after body of 22-year-old Laiba Ejaz, a gold medalist in Physics from the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), was found hanging from a tree in Islamabad.
According to her family, Laiba completed her graduation in Physics with a gold medal and aspired to pursue an MS in Physics at Harvard University in the United States. However, the family alleges that an education consultant exploited her ambitions, deceived her with fake admission and scholarship documents, and extracted millions of rupees from her struggling family.
The family alleges that the consultant promised to secure Laiba’s admission to Harvard University on scholarship and provided purported scholarship letter that later turned out to be fake.
The consultant demanded Rs 7 million to facilitate admission to a US university. Laiba’s father, who reportedly sold milk on bike to support his children’s education, allegedly sold plot of land and handed over Rs 2.1 million in cash to the conusltant.
In a further attempt to arrange the remaining amount, Laiba’s mother reportedly placed her jewellery with a bank as collateral. The family said the truth emerged when Laiba had the admission documents checked and discovered that they were fraudulent, shattering her hopes of studying abroad.
The allegations against the consultant extend beyond Laiba’s education. According to the family, the suspect promised to secure government job for Laiba’s brother and allegedly received another Rs5Lac for that purpose. The family further claimed that the man presented himself as an accounts officer at the Islamabad High Court.
The claims raise serious questions about the alleged deception and the financial losses suffered by the family. The allegations, however, require independent verification through the relevant investigation.
Behind alleged financial fraud was a family struggling to secure better future for its children. Laiba’s father reportedly earned his livelihood by selling milk while living in a rented apartment, sacrificing his savings and property to support his daughter’s academic ambitions.
The family revealed deeply distressing detail about Laiba’s final message to her uncle. According to them, she asked him not to tell her father about the alleged fraud, fearing that the revelation would be too devastating for him.
The message added another painful dimension to an already tragic case, highlighting the emotional burden the family says Laiba was carrying after discovering the alleged deception.
Laiba’s body was found hanging from a tree within the jurisdiction of Islamabad’s Ramna Police Station. She was identified as Laiba Ejaz, daughter of Muhammad Ejaz, a 22-year-old unmarried resident of Flat No. 8, Gulistan Plaza, G-10 Markaz, Islamabad.
Police initially said the circumstances appeared to indicate suicide. However, the alleged fraudulent documents and the family’s claims have brought renewed attention to the circumstances surrounding her death.
For a young girl who had earned gold medal and dreamed of becoming a scientist, the promise of an education abroad was meant to open doors to a brighter future. Now, her death has left her family seeking answers—and accountability from anyone found responsible.
Islamabad student dies by Suicide after Rs5 Million US Travel Fraud
