ISLAMABAD: After the allegation of state ministers of Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) Mir Dostain Khan Domki regarding illegal appointments in the ministry, Prime Minister House has reportedly initiated an inquiry into the appointments of 35 officials.
According to sources, taking notice of the recent appointments made in the MoST through record tempering and violation of rules, the PM House has initiated the inquiry. Interestingly, at the same time an employee of the ministry, who was suspended for his alleged involvement in the tempering of results of written tests of some officials recruited recently, has also been restored by the ministry.
The state minister had earlier complained to the Prime Minister that a mafia at MoST was given free hand to do corruption and make illegal appointments. Following the resumption of charge by Rana Tanveer as federal minister of MoST, a tug of war between the two ministers was also going on.
At least six officers of BPS-17, as alleged by the state minister for science and technology Mir Dostain Khan Domki, were appointed through tempering record of their written test in which they had not secured the required numbers. However, they, being favoured by the high-ups in the ministry, were recruited at Pakistan Standard Quality Control Authority (PSQCA), a subordinate organisation of the ministry, on the basis of tempered results.
According to a notification, the copy of which is available, Key Punch Operator at PSQCA Farrukh Talal, was suspended after the investigation by a committee which found the operator tempering two candidate cases of BPS 17 who obtained 40 marks in NUST test. However, he tampered marks from 40 to 42 in the NUST test report. Besides, four candidates of Sindh (R) obtained 44 marks as per NUST result sheet, however, the operator included only one candidate and three candidates were not called for interview.”
The state minister, who submitted resignation to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, in protest against the appointment of Rana Tanveer Hussain Khan as federal minister of science and technology, had initiated an investigation against the appointment of such officials in the ministry. As Domki continued voicing against the illegal appointments and unabated corruption in the MoST, the ministry had recently suspended a computer operator for his alleged role in record tempering.
Insiders told Pakistan Today, as the interests group, which was involved in the entire illegal practices, has again resumed authority in the ministry, the keypunch operator, was restored to his position, giving him a clean chit. However, a PBS-17 officer, (Ms Sidra Assistant Director Chemical at Quality Control Center in Lahore) who was also recruited through record tempering, has recently been terminated after getting two months salaries, by the ministry, for what the sources claim, face-saving in the case.
Interestingly, neither any action has been taken against those involved in the tempering process nor the appointments have been cancelled.  Apparently, to give a cover to the entire process of appointment which completed this month, insiders claim, Ghulam Umar Qazi, who allegedly facilitated the tempering as secretary PSQCA, was given the portfolio recently again by minister Rana Tanveer. He was removed from the post of secretary earlier.
Mr Domki, whose resignation has not been accepted by Prime Minister, has alleged that following his exit from the ministry, 35 appointments in grades to 17 and above were made in PSQCA.
According to Domki, the process was already initiated, but while finalising the lists the PSQCA administration tampered with the final list. He has asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to look into the matter.
An official at PSQCA, however, claimed that there was a misunderstanding about the appointments saying that he was unaware of any investigation into the fresh appointments. He claimed PSQCA had followed all the applicable government rules along with observance of provincial quotas.
