Pakistani police raid offices of company accused of selling fake diplomas

The Islamabad and Karachi offices of the software company Axact were raided on Tuesday, just days after The New York Times printed a story accusing the firm of selling fake degrees.

In Islamabad, police said they seized computers and records and detained 22 people, although no arrests have been made, the BBC reports. On Sunday, the Times reported that Axact makes tens of millions of dollars every year by offering diplomas and degrees online through fictitious schools with fake accreditation and testimonials.

Axact, which also has a media wing and is planning on launching a news channel and publications in English and Urdu, denies the report, calling the claims "baseless, substandard, maligning, [and] defamatory." The company also threatened legal action against the newspaper.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up