Pakistan’s PM orders detention of visa fraud suspect — Dawn

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has ordered the detention of a man suspected of defrauding student Laiba Ayaz following her death in Islamabad. The head of government met with Islamabad police chief Mohammad Sohail Chaudhry and the city’s chief commissioner, Sohail Ashraf, Dawn reports.

Capital police registered a case against the suspect under sections 322 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code following a complaint by the student’s father, Mohammad Ayaz. According to police, the family reported the girl missing and said she was in severe psychological distress. After analysing phone call data and geolocation, Laiba’s body was found in a fenced area on a green belt near the Sunday Bazaar in Islamabad’s G-10 sector.

FIA investigation

Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency has launched an investigation and is conducting raids to locate and detain the suspect. The FIA Islamabad zone director also visited the deceased woman’s family and gathered information about the circumstances of the case.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

According to the FIA, the man gained the family’s trust by falsely representing his identity and professional status. He was not a registered visa agent, but claimed to work as an accountant at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Later, according to the agency, he provided conflicting information about his identity and work.

Money for employment and admission

The FIA said the suspect was given 550,000 rupees allegedly for the employment of Laiba’s brother, as well as another 7.2 million rupees allegedly for her admission to Harvard University in the United States. The agency is examining payments and claims related to the case.

Laiba recently earned a bachelor’s degree from the International Islamic University Islamabad. According to the investigation, a female accomplice may have been involved in the alleged fraud. Law enforcement officers obtained visa documents for verification which, according to their information, were handed over by the suspect; he was placed on a stop list to prevent him from leaving the country. Forensic examination results are still pending.