Police sources said on Monday that the prime suspect in the death of Laiba Ijaz allegedly used ChatGPT to pose as a woman and her brother while persuading her that he could secure a US visa. Laiba, a gold medallist who had completed her BS degree at International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI), had hoped to continue her studies in the United States.
Her body was found hanging by a roadside in Islamabad’s G-10 sector on Friday, October 9, after she learned that the documents she had received were forged. Police said she had been under heavy mental strain because of the alleged fraud. Her family has alleged that the suspect cheated her with a promise of admission to a US university and supplied fake paperwork.
Suspect arrested and placed on physical remand
Muhammad Noman was arrested from Islamabad’s H-13 sector. A judicial magistrate granted police a five-day physical remand so that the investigation could continue. Police sources believe he may have deceived other women as well.
How the alleged visa scam unfolded
According to police sources, Noman first met Laiba in March 2023, when she applied for an internship at the insurance company where he worked. She never joined because she was busy tutoring, but he later engaged her, her sister and their mother to promote a tuck shop. The shop was run by a woman named Aiza, whose brother lived in the United States.
When Laiba asked for help obtaining a US visa, Noman allegedly claimed he could arrange it through Aiza’s brother. Investigators said he created a second online account under Aiza’s name and used ChatGPT to impersonate her and her brother in conversations with Laiba. He also sent her documents that looked genuine.
Her doubts grew when he kept moving her visa interview, first to September 1, then to September 17, and finally to September 26. She later examined the papers and found them to be fake, the sources said.
Money and jewellery handed over before contact ended
Police sources said Laiba had given Noman Rs2.1 million, which her father had obtained by selling a plot, along with jewellery belonging to her stepmother. When pressed to return the jewellery, she reportedly asked him to hand it back first, saying the remaining money could be settled later. Noman then stopped responding and cut off all contact.
Investigators said Noman deleted data from his mobile phone before his arrest. They plan a forensic examination to recover the data and identify any other possible victims.
Two other AI chatbot cases reported in Pakistan
The case follows two other reported incidents linked to AI chatbots in Pakistan. In Bahawalpur, a 17-year-old student was arrested over an alleged attempt to poison his father, and investigators said he had used a chatbot to look up information about poison.
In Karachi, authorities investigated another 17-year-old over alleged murder-related conversations with a chatbot. He denied plotting a murder, saying he had been researching for a story, and at the time of reporting no offence had been established against him.
