COMSTECH, COMSATS evading statutory audit

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–Sources say audit evasion has been going on for the past 15-20 years

ISLAMABAD: In what appears to be a rather suspicious episode, Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH) and Commission on Science and Technology for Sustainable Development in the South (COMSATS) have been found to be evading audit of their accounts by the Directorate General Audit, Pakistan Today has learnt.

The auditing body has repeatedly requested the Ministry of Science and Technology secretary to intervene in the matter as it has already tried and failed in getting the two institutions to submit their account reports.

According to sources in the said ministry, Federal Secretary for Science and Technology Yasmin Masood was transferred four days ago and was made the officer on special duty as she attempted to get the audit of the said institutes done. Sources added that the institutions have been evading audit for the past 15, 20 years which was not only a violation of the Constitution of Pakistan but a rejection of the Supreme Court (SC) verdict which makes it mandatory for the said institutions to submit themselves for audit.