ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Federal Ombudsman Salman Faruqui has said the government has started a process to improve the performance of the institution by expanding its jurisdiction and giving power to it so that it could redress public complaints within the shortest possible time.
He said efforts were under way to bring into the ambit of the ombudsman federal ministries and government departments which at present did not fall in its jurisdiction. In this connection, he added, proposals were being sought from different sections of society to make amendments to the relevant laws.
Faruqui said 350 people from different walks of life had been asked to submit their suggestions by January 31.
Besides, a committee comprising the federal and provincial ombudsmen and headed by Federal Tax Ombudsman Dr Shoaib Suddle had sent some proposals to the heads of major civil society organisations, media representatives, government functionaries and experts in various fields for their input, he added.
The institution of ombudsman set up in 1983 to redress grievances caused by maladministration in federal government agencies receives about 3,000 complaints every month.
“Deficiencies and lacunae exist in the ombudsman system and amendments are needed for making it efficient,” he said.
The establishment division which deals with posting and transfer of senior bureaucrats is among the departments that are out of the jurisdiction of the federal ombudsman.
“The committee is of the view that more than half of the departments which are out of the jurisdiction of the ombudsman’s office should be brought into its purview,” Faruqui said.
He said he was forming a team of experts and professionals to deal with over 75,000 complaints which had piled up over the past two years because of the absence of an ombudsman.
Faruqui has recently taken over as the acting Wafaqi Mohtasib. The ombudsman set-up includes the Federal Tax Mohtasib, Federal Insurance Mohtasib, Banking Mohtasib, Federal Ombudsman Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace, provincial ombudsmen and the AJK Mohtasib.
Major proposals for enhancing effectiveness of the ombudsmen’s offices include appointment of grievance commissioners in all public-dealing departments for redressing complaints and strengthening the ombudsman’s role as a commissioner under the freedom of information laws.
It has been proposed that complaints not immediately redressed be referred to the ombudsman for a verdict within 60 days, subject to a review within 30 days. Government departments and employees shall have the right of appeal to the president if they failed to get relief in the review process. Internews
