Ombudsperson asks CS to take action against DC

LAHORE:Punjab ombudsperson has complained the Punjab chief secretary to take action against deputy commissioner Lahore.

Punjab Ombudsperson Nabila Hakim commented this in a letter, WOP/18 4832021/5-64, dated 27th September 2022, a copy of which is available with The News. The letter titled as “TIME LIMIT CASE” was written to the chief secretary and its subject was “Conduct of Deputy Commissioner Lahore regarding non-performance of his bounded duty as envisaged under the Punjab Enforcement of Women’s Property Rights Act 2021.”

The letter stated, “With grave concern and under the regretful circumstances, this matter requires to be brought into the notice of your esteem authority that in spite of hectic efforts of this office, the Deputy Commissioner Lahore has not given any response to each of the following directive letters issued to him from time to time: WOP/18-483/2021/532, dated 19.04.2022; WOP/18-483/2021/671, dated 12.05.2022; WOP/ 1 8-4 83/2021 /833, dated 06.06.2022; iv. WOP/18-483/2021/975, dated 28.06.2022; v. WOP/1 8-483/2021 /88, dated 15.07.2022; vi. WOP/18483/2021 /232, dated 01.08.2022; vii. WOP/18-483/202 1 /320, dated 17.08.2022.

The letter further said copy of each was attached herewith for ready reference. Punjab Ombudsperson Nabila Hakim in her letter further said that it has been felt necessary that such conduct of the deputy commissioner be brought to your kind notice for necessary action at administrative level, so to be recorded in his ACRs through the respective authority.

“Now as a last resort with courtesy of your distinguished office a contempt notice under section 3 & 9 of the Punjab Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act, 2021 read with section 10(vi) of the Protection Against Harassment of Women at the Workplace Act, 2010, is issued now upon the said the deputy commissioner, for his ill working, non-working and non-corporative conduct which speaks volume for non-compliance of the orders passed by this office, for which compliance was asked through the above said letters,” the letter said.

Punjab Ombudsperson Nabila Hakim, in the letter, further said such conduct of the deputy commissioner, on the face of record is an effort to bring bad name for the government, which has brought the Punjab Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act 2021, for help of poor woman which further amounts to negate the importance of a law for such woman.

She, in her letter, said that the deputy commissioner also sent herewith copy of orders dated 19.09.2022 and 27.09.2022 and asked the chief secretary that his good authority was requested to direct the deputy commissioner to appear in person before her on 07.10.2022 along with his reply as asked from him vide letter No. W0,18-483/2021/320 dated 17.08.2022. Ombudsperson Nabila Hakim also sent the copies of her letter to the chief minister, Punjab Law Minister and all the deputy commissioners in Punjab.