ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday adjourned hearing till March 10 in appeals of Axact Company’s head Shoaib Sheikh and others against their conviction in fake degrees case.
Chief Justice Aamer Farooq heard the case wherein Shoaib Sheikh appeared before the court along his counsel Latif Khosa.
At the outset of hearing, the lawyer said that an article was published in New York Times in which allegations were levelled against Axact company. The author of the article had been involved in anti-Pakistan activities due to which he was ousted from here.
He said that two FIRs were registered against the company in Pakistan on same charges. The trial in Karchi was in final stage, he added. The lawyer said his client entered the media industry in 2014 and launched a news channel with the name of Bol TV.
Latif Khosa said that a lower court had acquitted the accused previously but the case was later remanded back.
Meanwhile, Additional attorney general informed the bench that the case was not re-trialed instead the decision was made after arguments on already recorded evidences.
Latif Khosa said that a total of 20 accused were convicted by the Islamabad High Court in th said scam while three were acquitted. He said that only three people had filed appeals against their convictions as others had been declared absconders.
He said that his client was alleged for committing fraud, forgery and money laundering in FIR. However, the trial court had acquitted the accused from charges of money laundering and electronic transactions.
After this, the court adjourned further hearing of the case till March 10.
