A massive nepotism scandal has rocked the COMSATS Secretariat. An explosive fact-finding report from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) recently triggered this controversy. The report accuses Executive Director (ED) Nafees Zakaria of severe financial and administrative irregularities. Specifically, he allegedly rerouted a lucrative training contract from the Government of Azerbaijan directly to a private firm owned by his own son.
The secretariat has not provided any official response to these inquiries despite being contacted for comment.
Bypassing COMSATS Rules & Unauthorized Contracts
ED Zakaria allegedly bypassed the official COMSATS Charter and Statutes. Consequently, he failed to convene essential statutory bodies. These include the Consultative Committee, the Technical Advisory Committee, and the Management Committee. Moreover, COMSATS Internet Services missed its mandatory Board of Management meetings entirely.
The inquiry also highlights questionable project launches. Officials started several research and development initiatives without basic feasibility studies, budget approvals, or proper authorization. Additionally, a massive Rs. 399 million ICT training contract for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s merged districts went to a private institute without the required approvals. The PMO report also heavily criticizes the creation of new senior posts and unjustified promotions at the Islamabad headquarters.
The investigating committee faced significant roadblocks. The report states that the Director of Finance allegedly failed to provide requested financial records, despite receiving repeated summons. Therefore, the committee could not complete its full assessment of the overall financial impact. Furthermore, officials deliberately withheld several other requested institutional records from the inquiry team.
PMO Demands Strict Audits & Reforms
Following these revelations, the inquiry proposes strict corrective measures. First, it recommends that the federal government, acting through the Ministry of Science and Technology, place the entire matter before the Consultative Committee. Second, the PMO demands immediate and comprehensive forensic, administrative, financial, and human resource audits.
Finally, the report proposes key amendments to the 2015 COMSATS Statutes. These changes aim to strengthen internal oversight, drastically reduce the concentration of power in the Executive Director’s office, and mandate regular meetings of statutory bodies.
