'Our heads hang in shame': CJP takes notice of Axact degree scandal

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Mian Saqib Nisar took a suo motu notice of the Axact fake degree scandal on Friday.

Axact claims to be the "world's largest IT company" and operates hundreds of fake online universities run by agents from a Karachi-based call centre. 

The chief justice summoned a report from the director general (DG) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in 10 days.

The chief justice remarked, “our heads hang in shame due to the scandal,” adding that those bringing a bad name to Pakistan will not be allowed to go scot-free. 

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News reports regarding the fake degree scandal are doing the rounds in local and international media and bringing a bad name to the country, the chief justice remarked.

The chief justice observed that if the news reports regarding the scandal are correct, the activity should be curbed and if otherwise, then Pakistan should defend its image.

The scandal surfaced earlier as well and cases related to it are underway in courts, the chief justice remarked.

A date of hearing the case was then directed to be fixed.

Axact's chief executive was arrested and an investigation launched by the Pakistani authorities after a New York Times expose` in 2015. 

A senior manager of the company, Umair Hamid, was sentenced to 21 months in a US prison in August 2017 for his part in Axact's fraud.

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