Court rejects bail plea of Axact-BOL chief, four others

JournalismPakistan.com | Published 9 years ago

KARACHI - A bail application of Axact and BOL CEO Shoaib Shaikh (pictured) and four others was rejected Thursday by a court much to the disappointment of staff and their supporters.

The bail plea was rejected by District and Sessions Judge Karachi South, Sohail Mohammad Leghari. Insiders at BOL told JournalismPakistan.com the decision would be challenged in the Sindh High Court.

Shaikh and four of his senior managers have been languishing in jail for more than a year now after a New York Times story claimed Axact, the parent organization of BOL News, was involved in selling fake degrees worldwide.

However, it is widely believed a conspiracy was hatched against BOL by some top news organizations that felt threatened by the channel's financial might and its claims of taking the Pakistani media industry by storm.

Dive Deeper

HRCP warns ad ban on Dawn threatens press freedom

December 16, 2025: HRCP warns of shrinking press freedom in Pakistan after a reported ban on government advertisements to Dawn Media Group, calling the move coercive and discriminatory.

Pakistan’s ad ban on Dawn sparks media freedom concerns

December 14, 2025: Dawn Media Group says Pakistan has imposed an unannounced ban on government advertising, drawing condemnation from media bodies over press freedom and independent journalism.

PFUJ raises alarm over pressure on Dawn Media Group

December 14, 2025: Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists condemns the advertising ban on Dawn Media Group, warning that it threatens press freedom and calls on the government to restore ads immediately.

Media bodies condemn ad ban on Dawn TV and radio

December 13, 2025: Pakistani media bodies have condemned the government’s unannounced ban on advertisements to Dawn Media Group’s TV and radio outlets, calling it an attack on press freedom.

RT India deletes video of Shahbaz Sharif waiting to meet Putin

December 13, 2025: RT India deletes a viral video showing Pakistan’s Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif allegedly waiting for Russian President Vladimir Putin, calling it a misrepresentation of events.

Dawn struggle deepens as closures raise fears for its future

December 11, 2025: Dawn Media Group faces escalating closures, financial pressure, and political retaliation, raising urgent questions about the future of independent journalism in Pakistan.

Journalists urge courts to quash warrants against Imaan Mazari, husband

December 10, 2025: Veteran journalists and rights activists raise alarm over non-bailable warrants against Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha, calling the NCIA case agenda-driven and a threat to free speech.

Rs524m in ads, empty newsrooms: Balochistan’s media paradox

December 10, 2025: Balochistan Assembly documents show over Rs524 million spent on government advertisements for Quetta-based newspapers in one year, raising questions about reach, oversight, and media sustainability.

Newsroom

Russia labels Deutsche Welle undesirable in media crackdown

December 16, 2025 Russia has declared German broadcaster Deutsche Welle an undesirable organization, criminalizing cooperation and deepening restrictions on independent media in a widening press freedom crackdown.

Tunisia journalists' union flags widening repression of media

December 16, 2025 Tunisia journalists' union warns authorities are increasingly detaining and prosecuting reporters outside press law protections, signaling a broader crackdown on media freedom and dissent.

RSF condemns Lai verdict, cites Hong Kong press freedom slide

December 16, 2025 RSF condemns the Lai verdict as a sham trial and highlights Hong Kong’s fall to 140th in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, warning of rising risks for journalists.

Bondi Beach attack exposes media failures and TV theatrics

December 16, 2025 The Bondi Beach attack highlights stark contrasts between responsible Australian journalism and sensational Indian TV coverage, raising urgent questions about ethics, accountability, and crisis reporting.

Bangladesh editors condemn journalist arrest as repression

December 16, 2025 Bangladesh press bodies condemn the arrest of journalist Anis Alamgir under the Anti-Terrorism Act, warning of repression and calling for due process and withdrawal of baseless charges.