Mahnoor Ansar

ISLAMABAD, NOV 5 /DNA/ – Acting President of Pakistan, Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani, today, in Islamabad heard representations against the orders of Ombudsmen at the federal level. Justice (R) Irfan Qadir, the nominee of the President of Pakistan to process and decide these representations, was also present on the occasion. These representations included matters pertaining to Wafaqi Mohtasib, Federal Ombudsman for Protection Against harassment at Workplace (FOSPAH) and Federal Insurance Ombudsman.

After the hearings, the Acting President said  that in the last six months, the President of Pakistan through his nominee has decided hundreds of cases, providing relief to the downtrodden, widows, persons with disabilities, including persons belonging to minorities and backward areas against the maladministration of the executive. “Such prompt disposal of cases in recent times is unprecedented”, he said.

The Acting President stated that large scale relief was also provided to citizens and overseas Pakistanis in the taxation and banking sector. He remarked that the institution of Ombudsmen at the Federal level, inclusive of the Apex forum of the President’s nominee, has provided relief to the general public against the maladministration of the executive in issues concerning all the departments of the federal Government, Autonomous Bodies and other public and private sector organizations of national importance. In this way, over two lac cases per year are being decided where the President of Pakistan is the highest forum, he added.

The Acting President said that the media needs to educate people that through the setup of offices of Ombudsmen at the Federal level, a large number of grievances have already been redressed and more are likely to be redressed in the coming days.