FIA appeal hearing against Shoaib Shaikh's bail adjourned

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Wednesday adjourned an appeal hearing by the FIA against Shoaib Shaikh and others involved in a multi-million dollar global scam that brought disrepute to Pakistan's IT industry and the country as a whole. 

The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had appealed against Shoaib Shaikh, CEO and chairman of Axact, being granted bail by a District and Sessions Judge who had admitted before an inquiry panel to have taken a bribe to release Shaikh. 

The Axact scandal was exposed in May 2015  by the New York Times detailing how Shoaib Shaikh and his accomplices ran a fake degree mill selling bogus degrees to unsuspecting victims around the world for exorbitant amounts. 

Axact was not only involved in selling fake degrees but also blackmailing its clients to extort more money from them. 

After the embarassment caused by Shoaib Shaikh and his fraudulent business practices, Pakistani authorities including the FIA acted against all those involved in the fake degree business taking Shoaib Shaikh, Waqas Atiq and many others into custody. 

Shoaib Shaikh's front man in the United States was also detained by authorities and he further exposed how the illegal business was being operated resulting in his own incarceration. 

In Pakistan, cases were registered in Karachi and Islamabad and initially it seemed speedy justice would be delivered; however, with time the progress became sluggish and it seemed delays were being caused by hidden hands. 

Four prosecutors resigned, one after the other. Shoaib Shaikh and other perpetrators, responsible for defrauding millions and causing great embarrassment to Pakistan, were all granted bail. 

When former Additional District and Sessions Judge Pervaiz-ul-Qadir Memon granted bail to Shoaib Shaikh the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) filed an appeal before the Islamabad High Court. 

For granting bail, Memon faced an inquiry. The judge admitted before a two-member panel to have taken a bribe for releasing Shoaib Shaikh on bail. Later Memon retracted his confession. 

Now the appeal against Shoaib Shaikh being granted bail is being heard by the Islamabad High Court Judge, Justice Athar Minallah. However, the deputy attorney general failed to appear before the bench and the hearing was adjourned.