PBA welcomes suo moto notice in Axact fake degrees scandal

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 8 February 2018

The Pakistan Broadcasters Association welcomed the Supreme Court's action in the Axact scandal. They emphasized the importance of safeguarding media from criminal influences.

Summary

ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) on Thursday welcomed the suo moto action taken by the Supreme Court in the Axact ‘fake degree and extortion scam.’

The association said in a press release that if the scandal had remained to the extent of Axact and fake degrees, then PBA members would still have been rightly concerned. But it pointed out that Axact has used its criminal money to launch BOL and Pak News television channels.

“Considering media is the fourth pillar of the state and is tasked with safeguarding public interest, no criminal elements can be allowed to enter the media industry with their black money.”

The release said that Axact and BOL had consistently abused the legal system and exploited the investigative process using their black money to keep their criminal empire running. “The deliberate attempt by FIA to hide or omit critical facts from the Supreme Court in the report submitted in the Suo Motto is just one example of how the cases and investigations against Axact and BOL have been compromised.”

The PBA pleaded with the chief justice to ensure that they monitor all cases and investigations pertaining to Axact and BOL so that they can be concluded in a fair and timely manner.

PBA Thursday filed an application in the Supreme Court to become a party to these suo moto proceedings through its Senior Advocate Supreme Court Asma Jehangir and Advocate Jam Asif Mehmood.