ISLAMABAD: State minister for science and technology, Mir Dostain Khan Domki, rejected Prime Minister Abbasi’s request to withdraw his resignation because ‘did not want to work with the Federal Minister for Science and Technology,’ according to a local media outlet.
He also accused the Pakistan Standards and Quality Control Authority (PSQCA) administration, a subordinate organisation of the ministry, of tampering with the final list of appointments to PSQCA, with 35 appointments in grades 16 and above made after he left the ministry.
The minister requested the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to look into the matter.
Domki gave his resignation on November 27, saying that the appointment of the federal minister as the in charge of the ministry right when he had launched an investigation into corruption at the ministry was a way of hindering his “struggle against corruption”.
Mr Domki’s resignation letter states: “On receipt of a number of complaints from public representatives as well as the general public of corruption, mismanagement in the Ministry of Science and Technology discreet enquiry/investigation was ordered especially against the National Testing Service (NTS), Comsats and Pakistan Standards & Quality Control Authority [PSQCA].”
The NTS was launched during the Musharraf era as a project of Comsats, which is a subsidiary of the science and technology ministry.
NAB is conducting an investigation on NTS as well. Just a few weeks ago, a full-fledged enquiry was ordered by the NAB chairman after he received several complaints against the NTS. The complaints included leaking of question papers, alleged corruption and failure to protect the interests of students.
