Gold medalist student’s death: Senate panel calls for a transparent probe

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights on Tuesday called for a transparent investigation into the death of a gold-medallist university graduate, reportedly linked to an alleged overseas education fraud, while expressing serious concern over fraudulent visa and admission schemes targeting Pakistani students.

The committee, chaired by Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, also took strong exception to the absence of representatives of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, directing both institutions to attend its next meeting with relevant records and details of action taken against fraudulent education consultants.

During the meeting, the committee discussed the case of Laiba Ijaz, a gold-medallist graduate of the International Islamic University Islamabad, whose death was reportedly linked to an alleged financial fraud involving fake admission documents for higher education in the United States.

A senior Islamabad Police officer briefed the committee on the circumstances surrounding the student’s death, progress in the investigation and action taken against the suspects.

Senator Zehri directed the authorities to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the alleged fraud and determine the role of individuals involved. She also sought a detailed report on the investigation and measures taken to prevent similar incidents.

The committee stressed the need for coordination among Islamabad Police, the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA), Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), HEC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to protect students from fraudulent overseas education and visa consultancy services.

The committee was also informed that approximately Rs5 million had been recovered in a separate case involving alleged fraud related to overseas education, visas and employment opportunities.

The chairperson directed the relevant authorities to verify the legal status of consultancy firms and take action against fraudulent agents and their facilitators.

Separately, the committee expressed concern over delays in compensation payments to the families of Pakistani seafarers taken hostage off the coast of Somalia.

Director Shipping Wing Arif Haroon briefed the committee on the incident, including the delay in the crew’s release, repatriation of a deceased seafarer’s body and medical treatment of injured crew members.

The committee was informed that discussions were underway among the shipowner, the manning agency and parties associated with Protection and Indemnity (P&I) insurance regarding compensation payments.

Senator Quratul Ain Marri sought details of financial assistance provided by the federal government to the affected families.

The chairperson directed the authorities to submit complete records of crew salaries, medical expenses and financial payments from April to September. She also sought verification of reports concerning financial assistance announced by the prime minister.

The committee further expressed concern over the growing incidence of cybercrime, cryptocurrency-related fraud, ransomware attacks and fraudulent investment schemes promising unusually high returns.

Senator Zehri directed the authorities to identify suspicious bank accounts, individuals involved in financial scams and channels used to transfer fraudulently obtained funds.

Officials informed the committee that suspicious accounts had been frozen in certain cases, while the recovery and return of funds were being processed in accordance with court orders and applicable legal requirements.

The committee also discussed delays in registering cybercrime complaints, fraudulent calls, misuse of WhatsApp accounts, illegal use of SIM cards and theft of personal information.

The chairperson directed the relevant institutions to establish clear timelines for complaint processing and ensure that victims were regularly informed about the progress of investigations.

Expressing concern over children’s exposure to inappropriate content on social media, the committee called for stronger coordination with digital platforms to identify and block objectionable material.

It also directed the authorities to launch awareness campaigns in universities and colleges to educate students about phishing, fraudulent investment schemes and online financial scams.

Senators Atta-ul-Haq, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Quratul Ain Marri and Abid Sher Ali attended the meeting, along with representatives of the NCCIA, FIA, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Ministry of Maritime Affairs and police.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026