IHC summons Shoaib Sheikh on Nov 1

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Friday directed Shoaib Sheikh, a convict in the Axact fake degree case, to appear before it in person on November 1 or an order to suspend his sentence could be withdrawn.

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah heard appeals of Shoaib Sheikh and other accused against their conviction. However, the accused did not show up. He had also skipped the last hearing. His lawyer informed the court that he had been ill, to which the Chief Justice asked when could he appear before the court? The lawyer sought one month.

The court warned that it would consider withdrawing its earlier order of suspension of his sentence if he failed to appear on the next hearing on November 1. A district and sessions judge had sentenced Shoaib Sheikh to 20 years in jail and fined him Rs1.2 million in the fake degree case.