Science and Technology minister’s resignation ‘is the tip of the iceberg’

Outpouring of tussle among officials exposed financial scam brewing within

ISLAMABAD: Designating a minister in the Ministry of Science and Technology at a time when a state minister was already holding the charge uncovers the inherent tussle between the ministry and the top officials of the Comsats Institute of Information Technology (CIIT). The scrimmage revolves around corruption, tax-evasion and money laundering in the National Testing Service (NTS).

Sources in the ministry, CIIT and NTS suggest a scenario wherein the outpouring tussle has exposed the financial scam brewing within.

“There is a mafia within the Comsats, the ministry and the NTS who want to save their skins in fear of getting exposed after the probe I ordered,” stated Mir Dostain Khan Domki while speaking to The Express Tribune.



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”, under an additional charge.

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.

“I started inquiries and probe into the affairs of CIIT and NTS following the news about billions of rupees worth of corruption and wrongdoings,” he said, adding that his inquiry did not go down well with several officials within the ministry, the university and the NTS.

On November 17, Domki ordered 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.



According to a source in the ministry, it was after the Domki’s letter when the chips started falling and “those involved in the wrongdoings started feeling the heat and resultantly hustled to save their backs”.

“Maybe the government did not appreciate my decision and hence removed me and appointed someone else,” Domki said, adding that he would submit his resignation to the PM on Monday.

Another official in the ministry also confirmed that CIIT Executive Director and former rector of CIIT Junaid Zaidi held at least two meetings also attended by members of the NTS board of directors.

“Zaidi, NTS chief, CIIT rector and a few others, including members of the ministry, were seriously concerned about the news of the probe by three federal agencies and the investigation ordered by the minister,” revealed a senior official in the ministry on the condition of anonymity.



To follow the orders of the minister, the board of governors on Thursday relieved Sherzada Khan of the additional charge of CEO and appointed Brigadier (retd) Tayyab Akram of the CIIT as the new chief.

Before the cabinet reshuffle, Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer also held the portfolio of the S&T ministry and had worked in close coordination with Zaidi and others.

Zaidi is one of the top management officials, being among the pioneers of the CIIT and founders of the NTS. Zaidi, former NTS chief Haroon Rashid and other members of the board of governors are also being investigated by a local court in Rawalpindi.

The recruiting agency is passing through testing times after three federal bodies – the National Accountability Bureau, the Federal Investigation Agency and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) – commenced inquiries in different cases.

The recent allegations of Rs2 billion worth of corruption, money laundering and leaking of examination papers in Sindh have shaken the NTS, questioning the authenticity and credibility of the testing service.