Pakistani Woman’s Harvard Dream Ends in Tragedy After Alleged Admission Fraud
By NGN News English | November 4, 2026
ISLAMABAD — The death of a 24-year-old Pakistani woman who dreamed of studying at Harvard University has exposed an alleged education admission scam that cost her family millions of rupees.
Laiba Ijaz, a physics graduate and gold medallist from the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), was found dead near her home in Islamabad on October 9. Her family says she had been deceived by a man who promised to arrange her admission to Harvard University in the United States.
According to an investigation published by Al Jazeera on November 3, the man, identified as Muhammad Noman, allegedly presented himself as someone with government connections and offered to manage Laiba’s university admission and visa process.
Laiba’s father, Rana Muhammad Ijaz, told Al Jazeera that the family trusted Noman after he showed them what appeared to be an official service card. He allegedly supplied documents that included university admission and scholarship letters, immigration paperwork, an embassy record and a flight ticket to Boston.
The family paid money in several instalments. Ijaz said he initially paid 2.2 million Pakistani rupees and later sold a plot of land and family jewellery to meet a further demand of 7.2 million rupees, which Noman claimed was needed to demonstrate financial resources for the application.
However, the family’s suspicions grew when Noman became difficult to contact. They eventually asked a travel agent and a lawyer living nearby to examine the documents.
According to Ijaz, they discovered on October 6 that the documents were not genuine and that the airline ticket was fake. The family had believed that Laiba was preparing for a US visa interview scheduled for October 12.
Three days after the discovery, Laiba left home following a message from Noman, according to her father’s account. Her family searched for her and later found her dead near their home.
Police initially indicated that the circumstances suggested suicide. However, her family has rejected that conclusion and questioned what happened. The investigation into her death remains ongoing, and the final forensic findings had not been completed when Al Jazeera published its report.
Noman was arrested two days after Laiba’s death. On October 20, he was shot during an incident while police were taking him to recover evidence. Police said armed accomplices had opened fire in an attempt to help him escape, and Noman later died while receiving treatment.
On October 21, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited Laiba’s family and handed over more than five million rupees that officials said had been recovered from Noman.
The case has also raised questions about the regulation of education consultancy services in Pakistan. The Federal Investigation Agency said Noman was not a registered visa agent. Industry representatives have also highlighted the lack of a dedicated regulatory body overseeing education consultants.
Education experts warn that no consultancy can guarantee admission to a university such as Harvard. Students and families are advised to verify admission offers directly with universities and check visa procedures through official government channels before transferring money to intermediaries.
Laiba’s death has brought renewed attention to the risks faced by families seeking overseas education opportunities and the importance of protecting students from fraudulent admission agents.
NGN News English
