Minister of State for Science and Technology Mir Dostain Khan Domki, reacting to the appointment of a minister in his ministry at a time when he is already holding the charge, has said there was a mafia within the Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT), the ministry and the National Testing Service (NTS), who want to “save their skins in fear of getting exposed after the probe I ordered.”
He told Express Tribune that he started inquiries and probe into the affairs of CIIT and NTS following the news about billions of rupees worth of corruption and wrongdoings.
He mentioned that his inquiry did not go down well with several officials within the ministry, the university and the NTS.
The scrimmage revolves around corruption, tax-evasion and money laundering in the NTS.
Sources in the ministry, CIIT and NTS suggest a scenario wherein the outpouring tussle has exposed the financial scam brewing within.
It is pertinent to mention here that on Friday, the Cabinet Secretariat issued a letter for re-designation of Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer as S&T minister “with immediate effect”.
The appointment came as surprise for Domki who hails from Balochistan and was appointed by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as minister of state in August.
Earlier, on November 17, Domki ordered an inquiry by a three-member committee, headed by CIIT Rector Raheel Qamar and comprising Higher Education Commission Chairperson Dr Mukhtar Ahmed and S&T secretary Yasmeen Masood.
In a letter, he also directed NTS acting chief Sherzada Khan and his directors to immediately dispense their services to step aside until an independent probe is carried out against the current and former chief operating officers.
“Maybe the government did not appreciate my decision; hence removed me and appointed someone else,” Domki told the paper, adding that he would submit his resignation to the PM on Monday.
