PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007 emergency as Pakistan’s darkest day
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 8 years ago | Daud Malik
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD - In full-page newspaper advertisements against BOL TV, the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) Monday asked the Chief Justice of Supreme Court, the Prime Minister, and the Interior Minister to save Pakistani media from “dirty money and onslaught of criminals and manipulators”.
Demanding formation of a judicial commission to probe the assets and practices of BOL, the PBA wants the proposed commission to “immediately prohibit Axact’s channel BOL to air any transmission.”
Axact, the parent company of BOL ran into problems with the authorities in 2015 when a New York Times story claimed it was involved in selling fake degrees.
More recently, PEMRA canceled BOL licenses citing lack of clearance from the Interior Ministry to four of its directors on May 3. But the regulator’s decision was set aside by the Sindh High Court.
The adverts in the mainstream papers brought to the fore the bitter fight between BOL and the PBA. “Given the urgent threat of damage to Pakistan’s image, democracy, and national security, we urgently appeal that criminal operatives and their money be kept out of the media.”
The ad discusses in detail the fake degree scandal that first delayed the launch of BOL in 2015. It says that Axact has been selling fake degrees for over 10 years, adding the “amount scammed will run into half a billion dollars.”
It said Shoaib Shaikh, the group's CEO only paid Rs26 as tax. “The Federal Bureau of Investigation (USA) contacted a sting operation and nabbed Umair Hamid, a senior employee of Axact in wire fraud who has pleaded guilty to his crimes ‘on behalf of Axact’.”
The advertisement questions the source of funds that BOL is using to run its expenses. It also asks why the investigating officer did not object to bail of Shoaib Shaikh.
Towards the end, the advert demands that a judicial commission should look “into the mysterious and scandalous questions arising out of the investigation and prosecution against Axact, which has already been convicted in the US.”
It calls for the judicial commission to also probe “sources of funds that are being used by BOL through illegal offshore accounts.”
The ad also demands “reappointment of the former lead special public prosecutor and an independent investigation team to report to the commission.”
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.