Information ministry moves Pemra against broadcast of Bol

E-Paper | May 03, 2026

ISLAMABAD: The federal information ministry wrote a letter to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Thursday, asking it not to broadcast BOL TV channel till completion of investigation into the degree scam by Axact — the parent company of the upcoming television and newspaper group.

"A letter has been sent to Pemra to stop Bol's transmission on a temporary basis," Federal Information Secretary Muhammad Azam told DawnNews via telephone.

A detailed NYT report titled "Fake Diplomas, Real Cash: Pakistani Company Axact Reaps Millions" and written by New York Times Pakistan bureau chief Declan Walsh had outlined how Axact — referred to as a "secretive Pakistani software company" — 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.

On Wednesday, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against seven individuals including Axact director and CEO Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh as well as a UAE-based company.

Take a look: FIR registered against Axact CEO, six others in fake degree scam

The individuals named in the FIR were subsequently arrested and are in FIA remand until June 7.

The arrests came after an FIA raid on the Axact office on Khayaban-e-Ittehad, where officials said a large number of university degrees and student identification cards were recovered.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan had earlier assured that the ministry will not bear pressure from any individual regarding investigation of the Axact scandal. He added that the investigation will be fair and transparent in this regard.

Know more: Nisar vows transparent investigation of Axact fake degree scam

Earlier on Monday, the Interior Ministry of Pakistan along with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) wrote a letter to the US agency Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seeking legal assistance to further probe into the Axact fake degree scam.

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Zahid

May 28, 2015 04:46pm

Shutting down BOL has been the aim....If the govt is really fair, hardly any channel should be on Air....I wish and pary that BOL goes on air...

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M Jamal

May 28, 2015 04:48pm

It seem the whole drama was to stop the transmission of BOL TV channel as it has hired the big names of media industry. The entire media of Pakistan is now happy.

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Threatning

May 28, 2015 04:48pm

Ordinary Pakistani can only dream of getting justice at such pace. Double standards!!!!

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Umair Babar

May 28, 2015 04:53pm

Why is Bol stopped? this is so bias. Degrees businesses 10-20% of axact's business. they have 9 other business. They can easily say that we financed bol through other businesses. It is getting clear that the whole dram around axact was for bol..

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LawaTimes.com

May 28, 2015 04:54pm

The real target is BOL, not Axact and they are pulling strings to nail it down through government of the day.

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Umar

May 28, 2015 05:00pm

Why stop Bol transmission? What has bol got to do with axact if it is a separate legal entity, and has not been involved with transactions made by axact? Axact was sponsoring this company, and one of the shareholders, will we do the same if a major shareholder of a company so convicted? This is just their ill intentions, and I hope justice would be done, but won't be surprised if it isn't.

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IFTIKHAR KHAN

May 28, 2015 05:09pm

Pace of justice is an indication that no big gun was behind this business group.

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Zibbi

May 28, 2015 05:15pm

Mission Accomplished... Who cares about fake degrees when our leaders are known to have them and sit in assemblies!

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Captain Hindsight

May 28, 2015 05:35pm

I wonder why Pakistani people are defending Axact and condemning action against the company. Perhaps bringing fake degree related defamation to the country's name is not much of a crime/corruption in common man's opinion.

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mohsin

May 28, 2015 05:51pm

Finally this is what govt wants, they whole drama is to shut BOL thats it.

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SABER

May 28, 2015 06:22pm

Seems BOL cause some threats to someone....guess who..

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Jawad U Rahman

May 28, 2015 06:27pm

How will Bol launch anyways without the Axact financing? Their business model is not sustainable. Without serious new capital, Bol will die its own natural death. The government does not have to be part of it.

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Jawad U Rahman

May 28, 2015 06:29pm

Only Axact and its founders are responsible for this fiasco with Bol. They put the professional lives of so many people on the line to satisfy their own limitless greed for money and power.

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S. Lalani

May 28, 2015 06:41pm

Good decision. FBR should also probe whether the highly paid anchorpersons hired by BOL have paid their taxes.

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Talha

May 28, 2015 06:45pm

I am no fan of Bol but this move by the Information Ministry seems to be the main reason for all the hullabaloo behind the recent scandal, probably done to please some of the other powerful media houses. The Axact guys deserve punishment if they are proven guilty but isn't it like punishing them before a court of law actually announces the verdict? This smells fishy but there is no denying that they deserve punishment according to the law if they are found guilty.

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Nizamuddin Ahmad Aali

May 28, 2015 06:56pm

Fake degree as reported by the press and the law enforcement is out of characterization. There are thousands od on-line college degree companies very similar to Axact all over the world. The degrees are issued after completion of requirement which is tailored according to the on-line university, ( blank degrees found were to be used for this purpose ) & the candidate has completed the requirement. Some are good and acceptable and rest are piece of paper. Police and press have been very irresponsible dealing with this case. My guess is that this is targeted action to damage the BOL TV.

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raja amer khan

May 28, 2015 06:57pm

Why is everyone defending BOL? If Axact is guilty then obviously BOL is an illegal channel because it's financed by that money. I think it should be stopped from airing until the verdict.

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Arslan

May 28, 2015 07:23pm

What about GEO news? Destroying BOL was the main aim.

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Pran Joshi

May 28, 2015 07:47pm

@SABER Long live Conspiracy theories...they will solve all the problems.

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Danish Anjum

May 28, 2015 07:52pm

Here you go.. Coming to the point.

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Aziz

May 28, 2015 07:59pm

....And the cat comes out of the bag

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Zia

May 28, 2015 08:06pm

Most of the comments here trying to drum up conspiracy theories make me sick. Have we really gone down that much where we are trying to defend this business? Should any media outlet or business owned by an alleged criminal be allowed to function. What is really sad is to see here is the viewpoint that what this company was doing is not all that bad ... by Pakistani standards!

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AHMAD

May 28, 2015 08:37pm

O so that was all about - Not surprised :)

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bkt

May 28, 2015 09:16pm

@Umair Babar > The problem is that they don't make any money from their "other" businesses. BOL cans till do business and someone else can buy it either outright or in partnership. The case is still developing but committing fraud on a global scale is a crime even in Pakistan as it undermines the legitimacy of everything.

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Iqbal Burcha Hunzai

May 28, 2015 09:29pm

At last Media houses owners succeeded to stop BOL. Thumbs down to pseudo political leadership.

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Karachi

May 28, 2015 10:15pm

the main goal is just to stop airing BoL network

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tariq

May 28, 2015 10:27pm

All current channels are afraid of BOL and want to stop it

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Shahpur

May 28, 2015 11:02pm

Very interesting story. I hope something good comes out of all this, for people of Pakistan. It is complicated story.

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mike USA

May 28, 2015 11:45pm

Fake degree scam is one thing & media control is another! Why...Unless some anti state activity or serious Pemra rule violations.

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Mir Sohail Bangulzai

May 29, 2015 12:02am

Well now it seems like all this propaganda was staged to downgrade the upcoming channel (Bol).Anyhow,truth must prevail !!

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Mansoor Khan

May 29, 2015 02:02am

Big names from BOL gone, if Axact fake degree issue resolve may be BOL can go on air. Let's hope. My support is with BOL.

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Last comment

May 29, 2015 02:22am

Govt still living in 80s and 90s

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Lucky Star

May 29, 2015 03:30am

@Zahid It is already on the air , it should go of the air.

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Pragmatic

May 29, 2015 03:31am

Mission accomplished! Very well done!

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Jonathan

May 29, 2015 03:37am

It looks like 20 former Axact employees have taken over the comments. Sorry guys, you can't fool people with the same tired line. Just to be clear: 1. There are not thousands of companies doing what Axact has been doing. There are none in the US - who pretend to have hundreds of fake universities, make fake videos, extort people, run a staff of hundreds, etc. 2. Axact is a vast criminal enterprise - money laundering, tax evasion, fraud, conspiracy, harrassment, bank fraud, wire fraud, etc. Much more than just a diploma mill. 3. Bol money is Axact money, stolen from people all over the world. There is no way it can proceed.

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Mustafa

May 29, 2015 05:28am

Now that Bol is shutdown, the mission is accomplished. Govt will now be thinking to let go the case against Axact, may be after some kickbacks.

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Tunte Matin

May 29, 2015 06:04am

The next BCCI if anyone remember

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