Daily Times

LAHORE: Ombudsman Punjab Major (retd) Azam Suleman Khan presented the annual performance report of the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab for the year 2023 to Governor Muhammad Balighur Rehman at a ceremony, held here at Governor’s House.

Additional Chief Secretary Punjab Ahmad Raza Sarwar and administrative heads of the Punjab government, along with advisers and consultants of the Ombudsman Office, were present at the ceremony. Governor Balighur Rehman said the role of provincial ombudsman is commendable in resolving people’s complaints related to public institutions.

Describing the annual performance of the Ombudsman’s Office, Azam Suleman said in the year 2023, a total of 35,139 complaints were received, while the number of resolved complaints stood at 35,202. He said as a result of effective action on public complaints, the complainants and the government got a total relief of Rs 22.504 billion, out of which 26,229 kanals of public and private land worth Rs 15.834 billion were handed over to the genuine owners, while the total value of the relief provided to the complainants stood at Rs 6.669 billion. The Ombudsman said the number of complaints received and disposed of in the year 2023 was more than the number of complaints in any previous year, which is a proof of confidence of people in the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab.

The ombudsman said in the year 2023, some 7,212 complaints were received against police, 5,980 local government, 5,678 revenue, 2,531 primary and secondary healthcare, 1,961 school education and 1,563 complaints against the district administration.

Meanwhile, on the orders of the Ombudsman Office, 119 civilians have also been provided jobs in government departments under Rule 17A of the Punjab Civil Servants (Appointment and Conditions of Employment) Rules, 1974 in the year 2023. He said that a review petition could be submitted to the Punjab governor against the decisions of the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab. The overall rate of upheld decisions of the Ombudsman Punjab is 99.95 per cent.