iPhone marked as stolen and iCloud-locked

my father bought an iphone 16 promax for my birthday from australia to Pakistan he wasnt able to check it completely and later that man marked it as lost or stolen and we are not able to use it and my father paid a guy to unlock it but he stole it.

he asked his friend who was in australia coming to Pakistan before my birthday he was in a hurry my father sent him the money he paid that australian guy full price but later when that guy arrived to Pakistan that guy marked it as lost or stolen and got a new one while ours got icloud locked he gave it to me and asked me to try to unlock it he paid money to apps softwares online none worked then a guy said i can unlock it my father gave him the phone we are in islamabad while he was in lahore (cities in Pakistan) that guy ran away with the phone my father sent some guys to find him somehow but we dont know where he is my father is trying his best but the problem is we cant find him and idk what to do my birthday is on 8th march while we sent him the phone in April i guess so pls pay heed and help me

[Re-Titled by Moderator]