Axact Scandal goes to Senate

Islamabad: Taking notice of the Axact scandal, the Senate has moved the matter to the concerned house committee of the Senate by Chairman Senate Raza Rabbani for investigation.

The detailed NYT report titled “Fake Diplomas, Real Cash: Pakistani Company Axact Reaps Millions” and written by New York Times Pakistan bureau chief Declan Walsh outlined how Axact — referred to as the “secretive Pakistani software company” in the article — allegedly earned millions of dollars from scams involving fake degrees, non-existent online universities and manipulation of customers.

According to the report, Axact created a series of fake websites involving “professors” and students who it said were in fact paid actors.

Today, the issue was also taken up in the Senate where Senator Aitzaz Ahsan pointed out the issue and said that the management of company has the right to give an explanation.

“A story has been published in the newspapers attributed to Pakistan, and Shoaib Ahmad Shaikh of BOL network has every right to clarify,” opposition leader in Senate, Aitzaz Ahsan, said.

Aitzaz added that this was a serious matter because a Pakistani company had allegedly been issuing fake degrees, according to newspaper reports.

“It is unfortunate that Pakistan is being defamed,” the senator said, adding that CEO Axact Shoaib Shaikh and his TV has the right to clarify.

“But it seems that the story that has been published is true,” Ahsan said. He termed the issue as a matter of grave concern.

“What’s the reason that we Pakistanis are such experts in forgery? The matter has to go to the house committee,” Aitzaz said

The senator said that we should take notice of Pakistanis being so experts in forgery.

On the suggestion of Ahsan, Chairman Raza Rabbani constituted a committee to probe into the issue and submit a report in a month.

“This is an important issue and investigation needs to be conducted,” Rabbani said.

The Senate chairman, after hearing the matter, observed that the issue raised was of importance. He referred the matter to the concerned house committee and ordered an investigation.

Source The Nation.