Interior Minister Chauhdry Nisar. PHOTO: ONLINE
ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar said on Wednesday that the ongoing investigation into allegations of Axact running a fake diploma mill as reported by The New York Times was initiated on his orders and a seven-member Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) team was formed to probe it in an “open and transparent” manner.
While addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Wednesday, Nisar said Axact's offices in Karachi and Rawalpindi were sealed, and 42 servers of the company were also taken into custody, adding that while forensics will take time to complete, the government was willing to complete its initial inquiry at the earliest. He added that a seven member committee of the FIA representing the investigation body's cyber and corporate wings, were carrying out a probe.
The interior minister added that Axact had 10 directors at the moment and notices had been sent to its director education. Others, he said, will be questioned.
Read: Axact investigation can take up to 10 to 15 days: FIA
The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) were also asked for inputs regarding the company’s taxation and registration practices, added Nisar.
He urged the media and other concerned to wait until an inquiry on the issue was completed.
The interior minister also refuted reports that any Axact employees had been arrested, explaining that they had only been detained for questioning.
About reports that the company's owner had been put on the Exit Control List, Nisar said that this was not the case and that there was "specific procedure" for placing someone on the ECL.
Meanwhile, the SECP has issued two show cause notices to Axact, asking the company for all the relevant record and information.
The notices have been sent in accordance with Companies Ordinance 496 and 261.
'Mastermind of attack on Ismailis in Karachi arrested'
Meanwhile, he confirmed that the mastermind of the May 13 attack on Ismailis in Karachi had been arrested by the country’s security agencies.
“He was on the list of the most wanted men since years…,” he said, adding that in a matter of four days, a few of those involved in the Safoora bus attack had been arrested due the efforts of the security and intelligence agencies.
Nisar said the agencies had been successful in tracing the whereabouts of the attackers, as well as where and by whom the entire attack was planned.
He commended the LEAs, especially the Sindh Police and its counter terrorism department for their coordinated efforts.
Read: Inching closer to arresting those who attacked Ismailis in Karachi: Nisar
A lot will be uncovered about the recent wave of terror in Karachi in the coming days, added Nisar.
When asked if there was a particular organisation involved in the attack on Ismailis, the interior minister said now many outfits collaborated with each other in such attacks.
“They are all those who oppose Pakistan,” he said. “They operate in the entire country and have an integrated system.”
Earlier on Tuesday, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had said that the planners of the Safoora attack had been arrested.
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