ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Science and Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain Wednesday directed COMSATS rector to probe into corruption allegations leveled on National Testing Service (NTS) authorities and submit a complete report.
According to a press release issued on Wednesday, the minister, after assuming the charge of his portfolio took serious notice of the corruption allegations leveled against the NTS authorities.
The statement said that strict action would be taken against those who were found involved in any kind of irregularities.
Earlier, Minister of State for Science and Technology Mir Dostain Khan Domki, who had taken up the gauntlet to eradicate the menace of corruption from various institutes, tendered his resignation due to the mounting pressure.
Dostain had launched a massive campaign to cleanse various institutes of what he said was rampant corruption and mismanagement.
Dostain had told the prime minister that due to complaints 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 had been ordered against NTS for alleged corruption and money laundering.
It may be mentioned here that Dostain was still holding the office when Rana Tanveer was given the charge of the ministry so he had been left with no choice but to tender his resignation.
On October 30, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had raided two Islamabad offices of the National Testing Service (NTS) and arrested CEO Air Commodore (r) Dr Sherzada Khan and four other employees.
The raids had come on the heels of the directives given NAB Chairman Justice (r) Javed Iqbal as he ordered an enquiry into a paper leak before the test dates.
The decision had been made after the anti-corruption watchdog received a number of complaints from candidates ranging from papers being compromised before the tests, procedural irregularities in the hiring process, and other corrupt practices in the NTS.
