- UK says probe into Axact scam Pak’s responsibility, London unaware of official request from Islamabad to probe into scam
- Pak officials say US to provide assistance in connection with probe, FBI being involved
Federal Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Thursday asked Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to shut down the transmission of Bol TV after its parent company Axact was found involved in fraudulent activities.
In a letter to PEMRA, the information secretary said that a channel whose parent company was found involved in fraudulent activities could not be allowed to continue its transmission.
Earlier, Supreme Court of Pakistan also expressed concerns over the transmission of Bol TV for similar reasons.
UK SAYS ITS PAK’S JOB:
In the meanwhile, United Kingdom (UK)’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has said that probe into the Axact’s fake degree scandal is Pakistan’s matter and London was so far unaware of any official request from Islamabad to probe into the scam as an international operation.
Asked about cooperation in probing the Axact scandal, a UK FCO spokesperson said, “It is a matter for the Pakistani authorities to investigate the organization involved.”
Nevertheless, UK officials would offer assistance to Pakistan in case investigation becomes relevant to them, another official said.
Meanwhile, the Pakistani officials said that the US government was contacted and the authorities in Washington have given their nod for providing assistance in connection to the probe. “FBI is being involved in investigation and providing data to Pakistan. Other US departments are likely to be contacted later on,” the officials said.
Spokesperson for the US Embassy in Islamabad, Steve Castonguay, told Online, “We are in contact with Pakistani officials over the matter.”
