Axact fake degree case: SC gives 6-weeks to Karachi court to decide case

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issued directives to a trial court in Karachi to decide the Axact fake degree case within six weeks.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Mian Saqib Nisar heard Axact a fake degree case. During the hearing Deputy Attorney General told the court that four cases pertaining to the fake degree pending with courts including two in Karachi and one each in Islamabad and Peshawar.

The law officer submitted that the management of Axact had submitted a request to conclude the case ongoing in the court in Islamabad. At this, the chief justice observed that the case is being heard in a Karachi court since 2015 then what is the reason of its delay?

Bashir Memon, Director General Federal Investigation Agency (DG FIA) informed the court that the investigation officer had recorded his statement. Similarly, he submitted that the case which was heard by a court in federal capital, had suspended the sentence while bail has been granted in the second case that was heard in Karachi.

Referring to the case of Peshawar, the DG FIA submitted that the instant trial was not allowed to take place there. CJP Saqib Nisar then observed that it has become a tradition of suspending the sentences, adding that nobody from lower ranks can arrest Chief Executive of Axact Shoaib Sheikh, adding that the accused had maligned the name of the country and the Supreme Court will remove this stigma.

Meanwhile, the court directed that from the case ongoing in Karachi, one be concluded within six weeks and the other within three months, with the ruling if a decision is not given within the time-frame then clarification will be needed.

Later, the court adjourned the hearing for October 31. Meanwhile, The apex court dismissed an application from Axact's TV channel against the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) chairman.

During the hearing, the chief justice said that if the channels had any problem it should shut its transmission down. he said that black money was use to set up the channel and the machinery was installed without paying taxes.