FOB Office Compile Reports For Reforms

The Secretary, Federal Ombudsman Secretariat and National Commissioner on Children have said that the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib had compiled reports to recommend recommendations to bring reforms to address maladministration in government departments

BAHAWALPUR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Apr, 2019 ) :The Secretary, Federal Ombudsman Secretariat and National Commissioner on Children have said that the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib had compiled reports to recommend recommendations to bring reforms to address maladministration in government departments.

Secretary, Federal Ombudsman Secretariat, Dr Jamal Nasir and Senior Advisor/ National Commissioner For Children, Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi were addressing a news conference at the regional office of Wafaqi Mohtasib here in Bahawalpur.

They said that following the Swedish ombudsman system, the office of Ombudsman was established in Pakistan to ensure provision of relief to people in connection with their complaints against federal government departments.

They said that during last few years, the office of Wafaqi Mohtasib disposed of 75,000 complaints/cases. "Most of the complaints were registered against Wapda, electric companies, Sui southern and Sui northern gas companies and National Data Registration Authority.

They said that with reviewing the registered complaints, the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat had also been compiling reports to recommend recommendations for bringing reforms in federal government departments and agencies to address issue of maladministration and corruption.

They said that the office of Federal Ombudsman had also powers to listen complaints against National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

They, however, said that if applications/petitions were submitted in courts against NAB and FIA, then the courts would listen to those cases and would dispose of them.

They said that the Federal Ombudsman had powers of the judge of Supreme Court and he could take suo moto notice against any federal government departments and agencies. "The Federal Ombudsman after founding negligence of officials of federal departments can recommend inquiry and other departmental actions against them," they said.

They said that 13 offices of the Federal Ombudsman were working in the country including Bahawalpur office which could listen to complaints against federal departments and agencies lodged by people of Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Lodhran and Bahawalnagar.

They said that Bahawalpur and other neighbouring districts had populations in millions, adding that but, average number of registered complaints with the local office of the Federal Ombudsman in Bahawalpur were 100 per month. They requested the media to highlight the importance and role of Federal Ombudsman so that maximum number of people could move to the local office of Federal Ombudsman in Bahawalpur to get relief on issues and problems pertaining to federal government and departments.

Meanwhile, according to a report issued by the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat Regional Office Bahawalpur, 624 applications/complaints were registered against federal government agencies including Multan Electric Company (MEPCO), Pakistan Post Office (PPO), Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL), State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLICP) and others. The Bahawalpur office of Wafaqi Mohtasib had disposed of 602 of them.