Punjab Ombudsman, Rao Abdur Rashid Khan submitted Annual Report of his Office for the year 2004 to the Governor Punjab on Wednesday, as required by section 28 of the Punjab Office of the Ombudsman Act, 1997. This was the first report since Rao took over as Ombudsman on 17th May 2004 and the eighth since the Office was set up in September 1996. The Report shows that since the Office started working a total of 84704 complaints were received up to 31st December 2004, out of which 79971 had been disposed of by the end of 2004.
During 2004, 12117 complaints, including 3683 brought forward from previous year were processed. As many as 7384 complaints were disposed of in 2004 out of which 2285 were disposed of in line that these were not found to be competent under the law, and the remaining 5099 were disposed of after due investigation, of which 59 percent (3027 complaints) resulted in redressal of the grievances. In the remaining 41 percent (2072 complaints) the viewpoint of the Department/Agency was found valid and the grievance was not found to be legitimate.
During the year under report, 68 representations against the findings/recommendations of the Ombudsman were decided by the government, out of which in 49 cases the orders of the Ombudsman were upheld and representations rejected. Eleven representations were accepted and in 8 cases findings given by the Ombudsman were modified.
The Report shows that in the previous year the maximum number of complaints received was against the police. These generally pertained to non-registration of cases in cognisable cases, allegations of torture, extortion, illegal confinement, defective or delayed investigation etc.
The second highest number of complaints was received against the Education Department where the total number of complaints was 1193. District-wise origin of complaints shows that 1180 complaints were filed from District Lahore which is the highest number followed by Faisalabad, 460 complaints, and Rahimyar Khan with 449 complaints.
Different measures have been taken to provide a public-friendly atmosphere and procedure for processing of complaints. Regional Office Multan has been made functional in June 2004, which is serving 11 southern districts. Out of 1236 complaints received in the Regional Office, 549 had been disposed of by December 31, 2004.
Another important step taken to assist the aggrieved persons is that complaints are not disposed of only by giving a finding, but where a finding to provide relief to a complainant is given, a time limit is also specified.
In cases where mal-administration is established, punitive action is also recommended against the officials found responsible. Measures have been taken to expedite completion of investigation in the shortest possible time.
In the Report, recommendations have been made for all government departments. It has been proposed that with a view to monitor the implementation of the recommendations, an institutional arrangement in the form of a Committee should be made by the government. The Report recommended that all-important Agencies should have their own grievance redressal system where complaints against officials or working of the Agency should be registered, investigated and outcome of the investigation intimated to the complainants.
In specific cases it has been recommended that a law should be framed to regulate the working of private housing schemes some of which have deprived people of their hard-earned money. Similarly, a regulatory framework for health facilities in the private sector has also been suggested.
To provide relief to the citizens against police excesses, it has been stressed that the institutions established under the Police Order 2000, should be strengthened and made effective. Regarding rural water supply schemes the Report suggested that the government should take stock of the situation because in a large number of cases TMAs to whom the schemes have been transferred are financially not in a position to properly operate and maintain them.