Comstech Chief Faces Misconduct Charges Amid Controversial Inquiry

In a significant turn of events, Dr. Iqbal Choudhry, the Coordinator General of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation’s (OIC) Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (Comstech), has been found guilty of multiple misconduct charges by an inquiry committee appointed by President Asif Ali Zardari.

The inquiry, led by Dr. Asim Hussain of Ziauddin University, determined that Dr. Choudhry had not only violated executive orders and court directives but also engaged in financial irregularities during his tenure. The report reveals that he failed to convene the Comstech Executive Committee meetings for four years and made unilateral decisions, which the committee described as “maladministration.”

Dr. Choudhry allegedly incurred unauthorized expenditures over several years and undertook more than 70 foreign trips without the necessary approvals. Some of these trips were to countries unrelated to Comstech, raising further concerns about mismanagement of funds.

Despite the findings, Dr. Choudhry has dismissed the inquiry as “one-sided,” claiming procedural flaws and asserting that he was not properly informed of complaints against him. He contended that the inquiry lacked legal standing since it failed to meet necessary procedural requirements, arguing that the Presidency was being misused in this context.

The inquiry committee has recommended disciplinary action and suggested that the matter be forwarded to anti-corruption agencies for deeper investigation. This recommendation is now in the hands of the appropriate authorities for further action against Dr. Choudhry.

Source: www.dawn.com