ISLAMABAD: The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Islamabad Zone has carried out two separate operations against corruption, arresting an agent for duping students with fake scholarships and a three-member gang for issuing fake medico-legal certificates at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) Hospital.

In the first case, FIA’s Anti-Human Trafficking Circle arrested suspect from Sialkot for duping students.

According to the FIA, the suspect was running an agency named “Broadway Consultancy” in Sialkot. He allegedly lured students and applicants with promises of admission to the University of Nevada, Reno and HEC-funded PhD scholarships, collecting $10,000 from each victim.

The FIA said the accused provided victims with fake and forged documents in the name of the Higher Education Commission (HEC) Pakistan, which were later declared fake upon verification by HEC.

An FIR has been registered against the suspect under sections 420, 468 and 109 of the Pakistan Penal Code. The operation was led by Assistant Director Investigation Mohammad Nouman along with ASI Mazhar Shah and other team members.

In a separate operation, FIA’s Anti-Corruption Circle conducted a trap raid at Pims Hospital Islamabad on July 21, 2026, under the supervision of a judicial magistrate and with prior approval from the competent authority.

During the raid, an FIA official posed as an injured person and provided marked currency as advance for obtaining a fake Medico-Legal Certificate (MLC), after which the suspects were arrested red-handed.

Investigations revealed that the gang issued fake MLCs in exchange for bribes, which were then used to lodge false cases in various police stations across Islamabad.

The FIA said where no injury existed, the suspects would make superficial cuts on the body and stitch them to prepare fake MLCs.

During the operation, Mohammad Usman, an LDC at the Medico-Legal Office, was arrested while receiving Rs50,000 in marked currency. On his identification, PIMS medico-legal officer and Rameez Akhtar, a ward boy, were also taken into custody.

Old records of fake MLCs were seized from the site. Forensic examination of the suspects’ mobile phones recovered incriminating chats and banking transactions. An FIR has been registered against the accused under sections 420, 468, 471, 109 of PPC and section 5(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1947.

The court granted a 3-day physical remand of the two male suspects, while the Medico-Legal Officer was sent to jail on judicial remand. Further investigation is underway.

Published in Dawn, July 25th, 2026