LAHORE: Ombudsman, Punjab, Azam Suleman has presented an annual performance report of the office for 2022 to the governor.
Azam Suleman elaborated on the noteworthy aspects of the report, stating that the ombudsman office successfully resolved 29,970 complaints out of a total of 31,149, resulting in an impressive 96pc resolution rate. Of these, 26,511 complaints were addressed within 45 days, while 3,459 complaints took longer than 45 days to dispose of due to some administrative complications.
He highlighted that the effective handling of public complaints has resulted in a cumulative financial relief of Rs13.842 billion for both plaintiffs and the government. This relief included the recovery of 29,363 kanals of state and private land in various districts valued at Rs.9.117 billion. The total financial assistance provided to the plaintiffs amounted to Rs4.725 billion, he added.
The ombudsman also provided a breakdown of the top 10 departments against whom the ombudsman office received the highest number of complaints in 2022. The revenue department had a total of 5,584 complaints, followed by the police with 4,324 complaints, local government & community development with 3,681 complaints, school education with 1,791 complaints, housing, urban development & public health engineering with 1,690 complaints, primary & secondary healthcare with 1,461 complaints, higher education with 983 complaints, communication & works with 959 complaints, accountant general Punjab with 946 complaints, and irrigation with 821 complaints.
In addition, the provincial ombudsman also reported that 150 eligible complainants were provided with regular employment in provincial government departments by his office under Rule 17-A of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 1974. Apart from this, the Interior Department Punjab has completed the process of verification of one million 44 thousand and 62 arms licenses across the province, one the intervention of the ombudsman's office. Additionally, the Chief Provincial Commissioner for Children (CPCC) resolved 246 cases relating to violation of child rights and violence against them. It also has constituted a working group, comprising of experts from line departments, to save children from online harassment or exploitation. This working group acts as a think tank to advise the provincial government about children’s rights.
During the presentation, Azam Suleman provided a comparative review of the years 2021 and 2022. He mentioned that there was a 73 percent increase in the number of complaints received in 2022 compared to 2021, with 31,149 new complaints received compared to 17,968 in the previous year. The proportion of complaints handled in 2022 was over 70 percent, compared to 2021, where 17,654 complaints were processed.
The ombudsman office also provided Rs13.842 billion in relief to the government and private applicants in 2022, a significant increase from the Rs.1.452 billion provided in 2021, he mentioned.
There is a provision in the law for filing representation to the governor against the decisions of the ombudsman. During the year 2022, only in 26 cases, representation was accepted by the governor out of 403, thus the ratio of decisions remaining in force was 99.12pc.
The provincial ombudsman also provided an overview of the 26-year term, indicating that out of the 3,80,206 complaints registered from 1996 to 2022, a staggering 99.24pc were successfully addressed, with 3,77,339 complaints resolved. This exceptional rate of resolving public grievances attests to the effectiveness of the ombudsman's efforts in the province, he stated and maintained that the role of the ombudsman office was critical in ensuring good governance, promoting public trust, and discouraging inefficiency and corrupt practices at the grass-root level.
The office of the Ombudsman Punjab has expanded its presence across all districts of the province by setting up offices. Previously, the department had only one office located in Lahore. The department has also initiated the construction of office buildings for its offices. Five office buildings were completed in 2022, while efforts are underway to acquire land for constructing office buildings in eight more districts this year, he added. Research and Analysis Wing is established to carry out research and studies for ascertaining the root causes of corrupt practices and injustice and to recommend remedial measures to the government.
Azam Suleman Khan elaborated that the office of the ombudsman has undergone a complete digital transformation, with the implementation of a 24/7 digital helpline 1050 for telephonic complaint registration and public guidance. The OPMIS mobile application has also been launched in both Urdu and English, providing regular updates on complaint progress to the public. Additionally, complainants from anywhere, including international locations, can register their grievances through the official website, www.ombudsmanpunjab.gov.pk, he said.
Governor Balighur Rehman appreciated the performance of the ombudsman office in his address. Chief Secretary Punjab Zahid Akhtar Zaman and administrative secretaries were also present.