ISLAMABAD: Minister of State for Science and Technology Mir Dostain Khan Domki, who took up the gauntlet to eradicate the menace of corruption from various institutes, tendered his resignation due to the mounting pressure.
Mir Dostain launched a massive campaign to cleanse various institutes of what he said was rampant corruption and mismanagement. However, the forces against whom he started the cleaning operation proved too strong to bring them to justice as eventually, he had to quit his portfolio.
He tendered his resignation to the prime minister on Monday in which he stated that upon the receipt of a number of complaints from public representatives, as well as general public, of corruption and mismanagement in the Ministry of Science and Technology, discreet enquiries and investigations were ordered especially against National Testing Service (NTS), COMSATS Institute of Information Technology (CIIT) and Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA).
He further said that the enquiry was ordered against NTS for alleged corruption and money laundering.
Similarly, the letter reads that investigation was ordered against CIIT for mismanagement and corruption and enquiry was ordered against PSQCA for irregular appointment of directors general whose performance was not evaluated as per directives of the prime minister. He added that the national press also published many issues in this regard.
He further said, “In these circumstances, I made up my mind to eradicate the menace from my ministry in spite of pressure on me.” However, he expressed his shock that a minister was given the portfolio of his ministry just to stop his struggle against corruption.
He wrote, “In these circumstances, I cannot continue to work, therefore, I tender my resignation from the portfolio of minister of state for science and technology.”
It is pertinent to mention here that a few days ago, a federal minister was designated in the Ministry of Science and Technology when a state minister was already holding the charge. On Friday, the cabinet secretariat issued a letter for re-designation of Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer as science and technology minister with immediate effect, under an additional charge.
Sources said that Domki was removed from his portfolio with such ease because he belonged to Balochistan and the government feared no reaction as in the case of Federal Law Minister Zahid Hamid and Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah.
They said that the way he was removed left the ministry officials surprised as he was still holding the office when Rana Tanveer was given the additional charge. They said that it was quite strange that he was removed without informing him, and hence he was left with no option but to tender his resignation to the PM in utter disappointment.