Fake degree scams trap students as FIA briefs senate committee on widespread fraud

The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights has been briefed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a series of fraud cases

ISLAMABAD:  The Senate Functional Committee on Human Rights has been briefed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on a series of fraud cases involving forged educational documents, fake degrees and fraudulent foreign admission offers that have affected students and professionals across Pakistan.

During the briefing, FIA focal person and Deputy Director Afzal Khan Niazi outlined investigations into organized scams targeting nursing professionals and university students, highlighting the financial and personal consequences of fraudulent schemes.

92 Pakistani Nurses Deported from Saudi Arabia

The committee was informed that a major case involving 92 Pakistani nurses sent to Saudi Arabia on fake experience certificates had resulted in convictions.

According to official details, on September 23, 2026, a Special Court (Central) in Rawalpindi sentenced the main accused, Ghulam Zulfiqar Ali, also known as Mian Zulfiqar, to a total of 41 years of rigorous imprisonment. The verdict was delivered in FIR No. 103/2024, registered by the FIA Anti-Corruption Circle Islamabad.

The accused was convicted under several provisions of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Emigration Ordinance 1979, with fines exceeding Rs. 900,000. An accomplice received three years of rigorous imprisonment.

The court also ordered compensation of Rs. 100,000 for each of the 92 affected nurses under Section 544-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure, amounting to Rs. 9.2 million in total.

The nurses were reportedly deported within a month of arriving in Saudi Arabia after authorities discovered problems with their experience certificates. Meanwhile, two officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service, Akram Ali Khawaja and Muhammad Zubair, were suspended for 120 days over alleged negligence.

FIA Seals Fake Nursing Institutions

The committee was further informed that the FIA had sealed six allegedly fake nursing institutions in Islamabad following a complaint from the Pakistan Nursing Council, including the Hafeez Institute of Nursing.

Between February and April, authorities inspected 268 institutions as part of the crackdown. Over the last four months, 64 suspects, including employees of the Pakistan Nursing Council, were booked in cases involving allegedly fraudulent nursing institutions and fake qualifications, while 40 were arrested.

Gold Medalist’s Death Linked to Alleged Scholarship Fraud

The committee also received a briefing on the case of Laiba Ijaz, a gold medalist graduate of the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), whose death was linked to an alleged overseas university admission and scholarship scam.

According to the FIA, a case was registered on October 10, 2026, against Muhammad Nauman and Fatima Sarwar, also known as Aiza. The suspects allegedly obtained Rs. 9.3 million by promising admission and scholarship opportunities at a US university, including through a purported Harvard University scholarship letter.

The amount reportedly included Rs. 2.9 million transferred through a bank account, with the remainder paid in cash. Laiba’s father, who works as a milk seller and lives in a rented flat, allegedly sold a plot and pledged his wife’s jewellery to arrange the money.

Investigators reportedly found that the documents, scholarship letters and fee receipts were fake. Laiba’s death has brought renewed attention to the devastating personal consequences of such alleged scams.

Islamabad Police’s Ramna Circle registered a separate case under Sections 322 and 34 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Authorities also reported a recovery of approximately Rs. 5 million in a connected fraud case, while the main suspect was placed on physical remand.

Senate Committee Orders Coordinated Action

Senator Samina Mumtaz Zehri, chairing the committee, directed authorities to ensure a transparent and impartial investigation. The committee summoned representatives of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with relevant records, for the next meeting.

The FIA, NCCIA, police, HEC and Foreign Office were also directed to coordinate their efforts and launch awareness campaigns in educational institutions.

The briefing highlighted the need for stronger verification procedures and direct student awareness initiatives to help prevent fraudulent admission offers, forged qualifications and financial exploitation.