AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusive

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

**Axact Official Response to Defamation Campaign

Axact’s Official Response to the defamatory article**

Axact’s official response to an article published by New York Times reporter in collaboration with its local partner Express Media Group and some other media outlets to hurt the success of BOL (Express Media Group publishes International New York Times in Pakistan).

This is regarding a defamatory article published by New York Times (NYT) regarding Axact.Axact condemns this story as baseless, substandard, maligning, defamatory and based on false accusations and merely a figment of imagination published without taking the company’s point of view. Axact will be pursuing strict legal action against the publications and those involved.

It is clarified that NYT in Pakistan is partnered with Express Media Group to publish International NYT in Pakistan and receive earnings from the group. Express Group was under a restraining order and contempt of court proceedings by Sind High Court for publishing a defamatory news item and further from publishing anything detrimental to Axact’s reputation. (Click here to view the courts restraining order). Hence Express Media Group to counter the success of BOL and to circumvent the court order has got this story published via its partner NYT in collaboration with some reporter called Declan Walsh.

It should also be noted that a few months back in a registered criminal case by Axact for Data Theft (Criminal case No.561/2015), Police investigations led to Mr. Sultan Lakhani as the ultimate hidden owner of that company involved in Data theft of Axact and other IT companies and his name was included in the interim police Challan. (Click here to see the police challan mentioning Sultan Lakhani). After which Mr. Sultan also tried to transfer the investigations to another Police department of his choice but on 12th May 2015 that transfer was also suspended by Sind High Court and the criminal investigation again started against Mr. Sultan Lakhani. (Click here to view the request for transfer,transfer order and court order suspending the transfer).

The story is authored by some reporter Declan Walsh of NYT who was expelled from Pakistan as Persona non-grata by Pakistan Interior Ministry allegedly due to his involvement in damaging Pakistan’s national interests. This reporter has worked and devised a one-sided story without taking any input from the company. A last-minute, haphazard elusive email was sent to the company demanding an immediate response by the next day to which the attorney for Axact responded.

Click here to view the response.Moreover, this reporter has not mentioned the conflict of interest which the NYT has due to its association with Express Media as its revenue source in Pakistan. This necessary disclosure regarding the criminal cases on NYT Partner in Pakistan was deliberately omitted and is an injustice to the reader not expected of a publication like NYT.In an exemplary display of poor journalistic skills and yellow journalism, the writer quoted references from several imaginary employees to corroborate accusations made out of thin air.

None of these accusations have been substantiated with any real proof. Search engines have been used to type ‘fake degrees’ and whatever images have turned up have been portrayed as evidence. Additionally, no proof has been given linking any of these sites and allegations to Axact and widely recognized names such as that of John Kerry have been used to increase the impact of the story. In fact the writer himself admits that when he approached these universities, they denied having any links with Axact.One aspect that stands very clear from all this is that a personal grudge has been displayed by the writer.

Parallels laded with negativity have been drawn with the portrayal of positive Pakistan and also including references to the Silicon Valley as if offering world-class facilities to employees is something that we should be ashamed about when it is our pride. This reminds us of the story made by Forbes against NYT reporters of publishing false stories.For information on Axact Education Unit, it is hereby clarified that Axact provides a comprehensive education management system that benefits diverse bodies of students and caters to all types of educational institutions—online and traditional.

It is a 360 degree solution for students and faculty around the globe, available on multiple educational platforms being its core capability. For details on this, click here.Furthermore, Axact’s Online Education Management System is World’s Leader outside North America. And Axact is now collaborating with other renowned education groups in the USA to provide its Education Management System and is poised to be a major player in the online education industry of USA by 2018.All ten business units of Axact are completely legitimate, legal and committed to enhancing the quality of IT services across the world.

From the very first day of announcement of BOL, certain elements have started campaigning against Axact and BOL. The GEO/Jang group and Express Media Group being direct competitors of BOL (brought by Axact) have started a defamation campaign and other criminal pursuits since last 2 years accusing BOL of belonging to multiple groups, sometimes establishment, sometimes a real estate tycoon and sometimes other controversial personalities and were coining all kind of conspiracy theories.

Now they have planned this story in collaboration with this reporter as evident from the fact that within less than 60 seconds of the publishing of this article, these media outlets started spreading this maligning campaign via different means.

It is also come to our notice that they are planning with other foreign media groups to publish this story with different angles.It should be noted that the announcement of BOL as a positive and pro-Pakistan channel in Pakistan who cares for its employees has shaken these traditional media houses who have promoted hatred, despair, negativity and hopelessness in Pakistan. Axact and BOL have vigorously pursued these elements that are desperate to malign BOL and Axact.BOL has addressed this in the past and the following link on its website gives details of these defamation and other criminal activities and how Axact and BOL have addressed these legally.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Wait for Mubashir Luqman
As usual lying with confident

Damning NYT report on fake degrees scam termed ‘baseless’ by AxactCompany’s response cites conspiracy. Accuses local media groups of running a defamation campaign against Axact and Bol. Published

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

LOL @ axact's response.. now they are playing "patriot" card and trying to hold blame on "Express" media.. LMAO..

you uncover anyone's wrongdoings in Pakistan, they adopt one of two apporaches: Hide behind religion umbrella or play Pakistan/antipakistan cards. SMH.

Anybody who read this investigative report can see how much proofs they hv against AXACT. If AXACT things its wrong, go freaking sue them and win billions more. Rather than spraying BS.

Just wish there are any impartial and honest authorities who uproot these scumbags bringing a shame to entire country and its people

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Did these folks investigate how their employer is leveraging them heavy perks without being the channel operational yet?!

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

'Worlds leading IT company' ..impressive tag line

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

unfortunately the biggest casualty of this is going to be the future Pakistani graduates who go to colleges in Pakistan that already not well renowned globally those colleges that are good colleges in Pakistan they will lose the value of their degree just because somebody wanted to make money.

I don't think it's just one company that is to be blamed it's also the Education Ministry that allowed such an operation to take place without considering how can it affect the Pakistani graduates and reputation of other academic institutions in Pakistan.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

I'm not sure if read the entire report. It has nothing to do with any ministry. Its a scam, a fraud run by a powerful network. It was all going under the table. Or do you think they sought a permission from Education ministry??

And since its a scam to benefit the elites only, it'll not adversely effect the normal grads

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

It was a very well planned scam - no doubt about it. But I am assuming that

  • they had to have some sort of institution on the grounds in Pak as well if for nothing else then to get to understand how an academic institution is "supposed to work". it should involve getting some sort of formal approval/paper work from ministry of education or someone high authority. or
  • if not an institution on ground then at the very minimum some input/involvement of people who have worked in academia as faculty or senior level admin positions like principles or vice principles in some academic institutions.

Either way they should have appeared on someone's radars.

I disagree with you that it will not harm an average graduate. Yes there are some exceptions but for most part, The reputation of Pak colleges/universities is not super good in western countries and it will definitely take a hit from this discovery.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Who are the owners ?

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

From their website:

Our Leadership
A driving force behind our success

[TABLE=“class: leadership tdTable100Per, width: 900”]

http://www.axact.com/assets3/img/about/mrshoaib.jpg

Mr. Shoaib Shaikh

Chairman & CEO

In 1997, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, Owner of Axact & BOL, embarked on a journey to create a company that would become a household name in every industry. He founded Axact at a time when Pakistan was still waking up to the potential of the IT industry…

Read more

http://www.axact.com/assets3/img/about/viqasatiq.jpg

Mr. Viqas Atiq

Vice Chairman & COO (Co – Founder) of Axact & BOL Media Group

The Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of Axact,
Mr. Viqas Atiq, has taken the company to increasingly higher levels of achievement through his powerful business acumen and vision for Axact…

Read more

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Apparently Malik Riaz has some stakes in AXACT/Bol as well though Axact has denied it.

Read this story:

Axact Scandal – Dawood Ibrahim & Malik Riaz | Web.PK

http://www.web.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Axact-Bol-Media-Enterprise-660x330.jpg

Axact Scandal – Dawood Ibrahim & Malik RiazUmar Farooq 23/04/2014

BOL channel network has been highly criticized as right from the word go, they were hiring staff very aggressively. As compared to other TV channels in Pakistan, they were paying much higher amounts to the anchors and other important staff. Famous anchors from different TV channels started to migrate to BOL network and their respective TV channels required a substantial increase in the salaries of their star performers so that they can convince them to stay.
Rise of BOL has certainly surprised and shocked everyone. Rumors started to arise on the scene. The major rumor that came up on the scene was that there are two very strong parties involved in setting up BOL channel network i.e. gangster-turned-terrorist Dawood Ibrahim and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
The reason described in rumors for setting up a news channel is that since the media in Pakistan has grown independent and ISI is being highly criticized, it was need of the time that such a channel should be introduced on the scene that is able to neutralize the effect of criticism on ISI and premiere spying agency of Pakistan could control how the media works.

http://www.web.pk/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Dawood-Ibrahim-Axact-BOL-media-enterprise.jpg

All the work carried out to set up this new channel is through a company named Axact. Axact claims that it is the largest software house of Pakistan with over 5000 employees working in their company. Axact is accused of hosting illegal porn sites and also involved in selling fake degrees. Moreover its owner and founder Shoaib Shaikh was once mentioned in British newspaper report. The report accused him of hosting such websites that charge money for writing term papers and dissertations for the students.

Axact Private Limited has strong denied the allegations for its project BOL Media Network. They claim that BOL channel is not affiliated with either Dawood Ibrahim or Malik Riaz. They also claim that the rumors and news report trying to connect their company somehow with anyone of them are baseless and false. The company operates currently from Dubai, Karachi and Islamabad and has presence in over 100 countries of the world. They have more than 8 million customer base throughout the world.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Phir to BOL ka BOLBALA zaroor ho ga
Jo marzi kar lo

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

How much tx did they pay? Well not much.

The Pakistani man accused of making millions from fake degrees paid 26 cents in tax last year – Quartz

A tiny tax bill

Exactly how Shaikh converted Axact from a small garage startup into an apparently thriving firm that, according to its website, is “three times larger than any other private sector company in Pakistan” is unclear.
In his 2013 interview, Shaikh entirely skipped discussing the early days. “Following Axact’s initial success, the organization expanded its scope to offer back-office services, ERP applications, and design services, among other things,” he said. “Axact’s excellence has made it a giant in the online design industry.”
Axact, as per the records of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), was registered on June 06, 2006 in Karachi. The company, according to SECP’s 2010 records (downloadable Excel sheet), had paid up capital, or fully-funded shares, of only Pakistani Rs. 6 million ($58,860).
And in 2014 financial year, this apparent Pakistani private-sector behemoth paid just Pakistani Rs. 1.89 million ($18,543) in taxes, according to government’s tax directory (pdf). Last year, the corporate tax rate in the country stood at 34%.
(Screenshot/Federal Board of Revenue, Pakistan)

(Screenshot/Federal Board of Revenue, Pakistan)
Shaikh’s income tax payment, as per the directory, was even more extraordinary: The chairman and CEO of Axact paid all of Pakistani Rs. 26 ($0.26) in 2014, a fact that was made public by journalist Ahmad Noorani.
The second “Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh” named in the list below, corresponds to the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) number 4230124802739. That number links back on Pakistan’s Online Taxpayer Verification website to an executive at Axact (see left).
(Screenshot/Federal Board of Revenue, Pakistan)
The lowest individual tax rate (pdf) in Pakistan is 5% for earnings above Pakistan Rs. 400,000, meaning that Shaikh’s total declared income, based on his tax rate, was just Pakistan Rs. 400,520, or about $3,929.
How Axact woos employees

Going purely by his income tax payments, you would think that Axact’s chief would be quite a frugal man. But Axact employees are treated well.
An engineer at the company with between one and three years of experience, according to an Axact job advertisement, gets transportation between the office and home (with a daily newspaper), full medical coverage for the employee and the immediate family, 34 days of annual leave and “fixed monthly financial support amounting to 80% of your gross salary” in case of a mishap. In a 2014 speech, Shaikh claimed, this financial support would be paid to a deceased’s family for life.
The salary for this position is between Pakistani Rs. 40,000 ($392) and Rs. 60,000 ($588) a month, about six times the average income in Pakistan.
And there’s more, as per the job advertisement:
We offer a number of exciting facilities such as modern salon, spacious cafeteria, movie theater, indoor games, hut facility, Yacht, Dreamworld club and many more. This was just a gist of the enviable lifestyle at Axact…
Young, educated and well-spoken salespersons are reportedly rigorously trained for up-selling and cold calling.
A job advertisement for Axact’s “International Sales Leadership Program” based in Karachi, for example, sought candidates with “neutral or non-inflicted American or British accent,” preferably with “experience in handling international clients via telephone, email and live chat.”
How the internet helped

Much of this entire operation, according to the Times, was bankrolled by a massive network of at least 370 websites of schools and accreditation bodies that churned out fake degrees.
Sometimes, as per the Times report, these employees even call prospective clients by posing as recruiters promising to offer a job if they buy an online degree. Many students are duped; many others buy fake degrees voluntarily, with full knowledge of those being unaccredited.
High school diplomas sell for around $350, according to the New York Times, while doctoral degrees cost $4,000 or more.
Shaikh plans to give it away

But Shaikh, who once wanted to become the Bill Gates, now has a new dream: He wants to give it all away and help Pakistan.
Some 65% of Axact’s revenues, he said last year, with be given to SED Axact, a division of the firm that’ll work on making “education, healthcare, judicial assistance, and food and shelter affordable and accessible to all by the year 2019.”
It will begin with educating 30,000 students, and then scale it up to reach a staggering 10 million children. That’s a little less than half the total number of primary-school-age children (21.6 million) in Pakistan.
“I no longer wish to become the wealthiest man in the world,” Shaikh said last year, “Axact and my mission is now to win, and disburse our winnings for the good of the people and the good of our country.”
Update: Shaikh’s total declared income has been updated to reflect the fact that the 5% tax rate is only applicable to income exceeding Pakistani Rs. 400,000.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

The same thing is coming in my mind, if this is as big a scam as Nyt is portraying it to be , why did they not go to a court of law to settle the issue and have the owners punished as well?

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

I saw Etzaz at FB asking people to not to go behind foreign news , Those are aimed to defaming Pakistan
But Etzaz is also a Lawyer of Malik Riaz

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Mujeebur Rehman Shami on this case:

youtu.be/DvvPxyLVWJU?a
youtu.be/PwEnNbwsSdo?a[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] ](http://t.co/qScCGZv9KD)

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Pakistan main har burai ki jarh ja kar army se milti hay. This high tech fraud will continue till proper legislation on illegal use of internet in Pakistan is punished and 'holy cow' should be seen as criminals not the savior of the country.

If I say something about ethnicity of these corrupt generals, perhaps I will be banned because I have already got warning for telling the truth. People of Punjab will be the major losers with further damage to Pakistan. It is high time that they should wake up and start movement against this corruption of army if they really care of their future generations.

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Here is also involvement of some Ghost money , I remember US allocated big funds to spend on media abroad .

**The News Tribe (TNT)
**4 hrs ·
[RIGHT]بول چینل کب شروع ہوگا، تاریخ پتا چل گئی
The News Tribe | Breaking News, Latest Pakistan News, Fashion, Business, Sports, Technology

[/RIGHT]
https://scontent-kul.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/s480x480/11058760_942701685750328_4158836245795993596_n.jpg?oh=6baddbd55d418b9759897ae7054cd289&oe=55CEA652

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

Guys..this scandol is much much bigger than our imagination.....so much embarrassment for pakistan globally. thousands of families who bought these degrees across the globe are ruined...some knew these were fake degrees, but many thought they are getting legitimate diploma.

considering how much money has been put into this media channel, there has to be some big guns involved. everyone is taking military establishment name as well. the idea was to start a channel whichh will protect ISI. only allah knows the truth

i am just sad and embarrassed for pakistn's disgrace globally...yet again

Re: AXACT (Bol TV) making millions by selling fake degrees/diplomas: NYtimes exclusiv

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/19/world/asia/axact-fake-diploma-company-threatens-pakistani-bloggers-who-laugh-at-its-expense.html?_r=0

Some funny tweets. They are threatening to sue Pak Tea House blog.

Fasi Zaka @fasi_zaka

#NYT nonsense by incorporating in Nigeria and change its business focus to helping heirs of deceased Princes.

Talat Aslam @titojourno

Hi. I am the widow of the former president of Nigeria and I have some degrees my late husband wanted to donate to needy people like you…

Noman Ansari @Pugnate

Waterpoo, Cambridges, Oxfraud, Stanfraud, Yaler, Harwood, Princesston, Fluke University, Cornshell University, Mcbill..#Axact UniversityNames

Anam J. Cheema @AnamCheema_

Kamran Khan who used to do a show on corruption scandals every night, couldn’t identify the #Axact scam before or after joining it.

Raza Rumi
‏@Razarumi

Raza Rumi retweeted Abdullah Nizamani

So far we are not removing it from @paktea - #Axact should give me a Phd from Columbiana University to get it done.

Murtaza Ali Shah retweeted
DrMajorlyPhD, Expert ‏@majorlyp 21h21 hours ago

Off to apply to Columbiana University. New York Times has featured them. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/17/world/asia/tracking-axacts-websites.html
View summary
30 retweets 22 favorites
Murtaza Ali Shah retweeted
DrMajorlyPhD, Expert ‏@majorlyp 14h14 hours ago

My sources tell me @Declanwalsh wrote the story after being rejected by Barkley University for a journalism degree.
52 retweets 48 favorites

Murtaza Ali Shah retweeted
DrMajorlyPhD, Expert ‏@majorlyp 56m56 minutes ago

Only way to solve fake online degrees is liberalized visa regime, easy admission to foreign universities and financial aid.](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Axact)](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Axact)](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Axact)](http://www.paklinks.com/gs/usertag.php?do=list&action=hash&hash=Axact)