The Media’s Missing Conscience

A journalist is obligated to spread the true information to the targeted audience. On the other hand, biased reporting or getting indulged in cheap practice of sensationalizing/hyping sends the misleading messages to the general public and all concerned; hence depriving the audience of their right to true information. Probably, there is connivance or manipulative strategy at work to divert public opinion for any unknown motive.This time around, Declan Walsh (New York Times) wrote an article apparently pressuring/maligning the Pakistani IT company AXACT. In the past, he was expelled due to false journalism against Pakistan and for violating his terms of stay by visiting prohibited areas without permission. The report says that the journalist has, overtime, produced inaccurate and defamatory pieces about Pakistan. High-profile expulsion: Declan Walsh declared persona non grata. http://tribune.com.pk/story/571671/high-profile-expulsion-declan-walsh-declared-persona-non-grata/. Amazingly, Pakistan didn’t sue New York Times for damages despite the clear case of slander/libel for false reporting on Pakistan.
Maybe, AXACT is being victimized by the rival TV channels that are afraid of BOL TV channel. What’s going to be accepted as truth remains a mystery.

Back to AXACT: Was Pakistani media really too shy or too scared to break this story to Pakistani audience? Most probably, they were.

Pre-emptive strike: It seems as if Axact is being targeted, and the red hot issue is being exploited because of their BOL channel launch.

Nevertheless, AXACT contends, it’s only responsible to check if university or school is legitimate in that specific country. Axact clearly states: We give no degrees real or fake since it has nothing to do with us. AXACT claims it has been involved in providing technical support to the educational institutions around the World. Mr Shoaib of (AXACT) maintains, we only provide services to universities.

It means that Axact is only responsible to check if that particular university or school is legitimate in that specific country. The AXACT big shots clearly state: We give no degrees real or fake since, it has nothing to do with us.

But the AXACT admits to being involved in providing technical support to the educational institutions around the World. While going through the whole website, one finds valuable information to substantiate AXACT’s point of view on the puzzle.

In a statement Axact called the allegations "baseless, substandard, maligning [and] defamatory" and threatened legal action against the New York Times.

The allegations have drawn attention in Pakistan as Axact has a high-profile media arm preparing to launch a TV news channel and publications in English and Urdu.

In other words, the real problem seems to be the BOL TV’s offer of much higher wages and benefits package attracting the media workers of other channels, Most of all, BOL TV employees would own the channel as share holders.

Axact's offices in Karachi were also raided as part of the investigation. The FIA (Federal Investigation Agency) has found no proof against AXACT. Mr. Shoab has visited FIA centre and has categorically denied of selling degrees.  The FIA officers are still clueless.

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan ordered the probe after the New York Times published its report on Sunday. The Minister said, we will seek help from FBI, and Interpole.

Negative Perception: The AXACT is selling Fake degrees. However, Axact’s boss mentioned during “Off the Record talk show with Kashif Abbasi” that they were providing services to online universities to use Axact's system as course management, student management etc., which also included providing services to online universities to print and give degree to students on behalf of university. He suggests that those, who do not have a clue about the online services being offered there, need to learn and find out more. There are thousands of companies and individuals out there offering these services as well as there are many businesses in the West offering essay/thesis writing services. It is not a crime in those countries. Same goes for online degrees. It is not illegal to issue a degree that is not accredited and is based upon work experience. Their side of the story is quite the opposite of the one they are being accused of. Fortunately, there are no charges yet.

Six AXACT directors have already been interrogated and more investigation is ongoing. Government of Pakistan is in touch with British authorities to find further material -information if any.

Bad thing is the Media has destroyed the whole company without any proof; Government has put pressures on their employees, journalists to leave that company. That’s a disgrace the country has to suffer. How can we expect foreign investment if Pakistan suffers another setback adding to its already tarnished image?

Caution: Journalism being one of the noblest professions provides tools to professionally handle the information in its true form in the proper context regardless of race, culture or creed. And, there is no room for bias and dishonesty. Crime reporting and investigative reporting are all subject to legal and ethical limits indeed.

Globally and locally, there is an urgent need of eliminating the “non-genuine” students; it can be done by identifying real students. As fake degrees violate the rights of hard working real students, the united nation must put a ban on such non-genuine educational institutions worldwide to protect the students with talent. http://www.geteducated.com/college-degree-mills/204-fake-agencies-for-college-accreditation. One may go through the following List of Fake College Degree Accreditation Agencies.

Also, make sure if the university is accredited to offer degree or diploma program by the relevant authorities.

The government of Pakistan must play smart to deal with this national issue of international importance.

Update:
Since thousands of fake degrees of various bogus universities, diplomas and
student cards were found and seized, the Federal Investigation Agency
lodged a fraud and forgery case against the Axact CEO Shoaib Shaikh and
others on Wednesday. There is confirmation of the registration of the FIR
under sections 420, 468 and 471 of the Pakistan Penal Code (fraud and
forgery charges.
The big shots are in custody now.

If proven guilty, AXACT will add to Pakistan’s misery.

When national honor is at stake, the frustration is wide spread.

Let’s wait till the dust settles.

SOURCES: The Hindu, nation.com.pk, dawn.com, bbc.com, ARY, ZEM TV

http://tribune.com.pk/story/888328/fake-diplomas-real-cash-pakistani-company-axact-reaps-millions/

Oops! Alberta Shifts to the Left

Oops! Alberta Shifts to the Left

Alberta NDP premier-designate Rachel Notley and her orange wave actually decimated the province’s 44-year-old Progressive Conservative dynasty which forced its leader Jim Prentice to resign from politics.

The province of Alberta enjoyed capitalistic economy for almost eight decades non-stop with ups and downs, indeed.

The outgoing premier Prentice was busy raising taxes and the other costs for Albertans with no acceptable justification.

With her good sense of public feelings, Ms. Rachel Notley did her campaigning excellently. Moreover, hundreds of thousands of people from across the country and from around the world settled there in Alberta who facilitated the recent switching from the Right to the Leftist party founded on socialistic ideology. This is a case of shifting away from capitalism. Many of the new settlers were fed up because of poor delivery by the dysfunctional PC government. Obviously, the frustrated Albertans needed a regime change, so they did.

With the NDP in power, the socio-economic and the political landscape of this province are in the re-positioning mode. The business community can’t be as happy as is general public; reason is simple - social benefits and reduced taxes. But there are consequences in the form of capital flight and decreased investment resulting in low or no revenue.

Economics based on promises and Taxation: The NDP has promised to raise the corporate tax rate to 12 per cent, increase taxes on the highest-income earners and review the province’s oil and gas royalties program, among many other elements in its platform.

Other perception: The outgoing PC Leader claims his party has a completely different vision from the NDP; he is highly uncomfortable with the “NDP Plan,” as that could be ruining the economy. He is entitled to his opinion.

The fact: NDP always supports big, unionized business.

Furthermore, there has been a long history of failed pipeline diplomacy, but NDP majority means it’s back to the pipeline drawing board. Ms. Notley favours domestic refining and more stringent environmental controls in the oil sands. She is also supportive of some export schemes over others. She has pledged to tone down Alberta’s lobbying efforts for long-stalled pipeline proposals.

Nevertheless, the shocked investors showed less enthusiasm, dumping their oil and gas stocks.

Good thing is Ms Notley is socially progressive but fiscally responsible leader similar to the former Manitoba premier Gary Doer who led his province to a decade of balanced budgets.

 “For the business community, Rachel Notley’s influences first and foremost will be other prairie NDP governments, in terms of reaching out to the business community and creating a prosperous environment,” says Brad Lavigne, a former campaign director for the federal NDP who now works for Hill+Knowlton.

“Already on her first day following the election, she had one message and that was to the business community, and it was that she seeks a collaborative relationship. That’s consistent with what she said throughout the campaign.”

“To the extent an approach on pipelines could be augmented by a climate change policy that works for both industry and governmental interests, it may well cast Alberta in a more favourable light with respect to potential pipeline development, even up to and including Keystone XL.”

The NDP’s other campaign promises including plans to implement a twelve percent increase in corporate taxes, plans to boost the minimum wage to $15 per hour, a proposal to launch a review of energy royalty rates, and plans to increase homegrown refining of bitumen are likely to remain highly contentious, provided, the  oil prices stay low.

Environmentalists aren’t likely to change their tune on pipeline projects, even with a charismatic, socially progressive NDP premier leading Alberta. The opposition to pipelines here includes greenhouse gas emissions from the oil-sands, opposition to oil companies, native fears of spills into salmon streams.

There is a need of thriving business climate, getting the highest prices for our resources, the best wages possible for our citizens, the best healthcare, the best education, of course!

The corporate sector exists to undertake business to make a profit. In doing so it generates wealth which makes taxes possible, hire employees, and pay their wages.

The voting Albertans did not realize that they went too far to the left this time risking the smoothness of the corporate world which is essential to economic vitality.

And, they can do some damage control by voting for the Federal Liberals in October. The liberals are known for staying in the middle lane accommodating social programs as well as looking after the corporate vital signs.

Fact is the trade unions don’t support the Liberals and have a mindset to always campaign against the PCs.

Let’s get back to Alberta provincial election which had nothing to do with Harper or Mulcair or Trudeau.

No doubt, the Albertan People were fed up with the PC government and opted for change, and the Notley NDPs were there to take advantage of the available opportunity.

Since the NDP is more for social programs, it ends up being highly costly with insufficient or no funds. The rise in cases of bankruptcies and liquidations is normal.

Good luck Alberta!

For Notley, this convincing majority is a gift, she carried a message of hope, renewal and positive change, and Albertans responded for the change of status quo.

Questions: What if the corporations pull back from this province, would this help job creation? No way!

In Nutshell: The New Democrats have promised significant investments in health care and education, to establish city charters. hike corporate taxes and provincial income-tax rates for high earners, freeze post-secondary tuition fees, expand public home care, and introduce school lunch programs for kids in low-income households.

If the NDP fulfils its promise of balanced budget by 2018, that will be great.

Surely, Nutley’s popularity will depend heavily on restoring Alberta’s struggling economy back to health.



Sources:

http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/canadian-politics/electorate-anger-against-alberta-pcs-combined-with-strong-ndp-campaign-brought-end-to-dynasty

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/Lamphier+Jury+what+means+business/11047803/story.htmlglamphier@edmontonjournal.com

https://ca.news.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/alberta/alberta-election-ndp-win-gary-mason/article24270855