Annual Report 2000
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Mohtasib (Ombudsman)’s ANNUAL REPORT 2000 WAFAQI MOHTASIB (OMBUDSMAN)’S SECRETARIAT ISLAMABAD – PAKISTAN Tele: (92)-(51)-9201665–8, Fax: 9210487, Telex: 5593 WMS PK E-mail: [email protected] A Profile of the Ombudsman Mr. Justice Muhammad Bashir Jehangiri, the Senior Puisne Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan was administered oath of the Office of Acting Ombudsman of Pakistan by the President of the Islamic Republic of Paki- stan at Aiwan-e-Sadr (President’s House), Islamabad on 10th February, 2000. Mr. Justice Muhammad Bashir Jehangiri has rich experience in the legal profession and the judiciary, acquired over a period of about 38 years. His Lordship was born on 1st February, 1937 at Mansehra, NWFP. He received his school education in Lahore, obtaining distinctions and did B.A. (First-Class-First) from Abbottabad in 1960. He obtained his LL.B degree from the University Law College, Peshawar in 1962 and joined the Bar in February, 1963. After qualifying the West Pakistan P.C.S. (Judicial Branch) Exami- nation, he was appointed as Civil Judge on 7th March, 1966. After serving at various stations as Civil Judge and Senior Civil Judge, he was promoted as Additional District and Sessions Judge on 6th July, 1974 and as District and Sessions Judge on 24th October, 1974. His Lordship served as Judicial Commissioner, Northern Areas, from June, 1979 to December, 1982. He remained Special Judge, Customs, Taxation and Anti-smuggling (Central), Peshawar from March, 1983 to September, 1984. He took-over the charge as Joint Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Parliamentary Affairs (Justice Division), Islamabad on iii 12.9.1984. His Lordship was elevated as Judge of the Peshawar High Court on 1st October, 1988. He was elevated as Ad hoc Judge of the Su- preme Court of Pakistan on 22nd February, 1995 and then as a Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan on 30th March, 1996. Mr. Justice Muhammad Bashir Jehangiri being the next senior most Judge after the Chief Justice of Pakistan, has, in the absence of the latter from the country, also acted as Chief Justice of Pakistan a number of times. His Lordship attended the Advanced Course in Public Administra- tion and Development at the National Institute of Public Administration (NIPA), Lahore in 1977 and Shariah Course in the Sharia Academy of the International Islamic University, Islamabad in 1983-84. His Lordship at- tended the United Nations Institute for Asia and Far East Course for three months regarding “Prevention of Crime and Treatment of Offenders” at Fuchu, Tokyo, Japan in 1986. His Lordship participated as Legal Member of the Pakistan Delegation in the UN sponsored Geneva Accord on Af- ghanistan in April, 1988. His Lordship attended the World Law Confer- ence held in Argentina in 1993. His Lordship also represented the Chief Justice of Pakistan in the Chief Justices’ Conference and Law Asia Annual Meeting held in Manila (Philippines) in August, 1997. Mr. Justice Muhammad Bashir Jehangiri, in his capacity as the Ombudsman of Pakistan, was the host for the Meeting of the Board of Directors of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA) held in Islamabad in February, 2000. As President of the AOA, he chaired the Fifth Asian Ombudsman Conference held in Manila (Philippines) from 17th to 20th July, 2000 where he was unanimously elected as President of AOA for the next two years. As the Ombudsman of Pakistan, he attended the Seventh International Conference of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) held in Durban, South Africa from 27th October to 3rd November, 2000, where he represented the Asian Region in his capacity as President of the AOA. CONTENTS CHAPTER-I Introduction ......................................................................................................... 1 Statutory Position of the Institution of Ombudsman ......................................... 1 Origin of the Institution ..................................................................................... 2 Special Nature of the Institution ....................................................................... 5 Essential Attributes of the Institution ................................................................ 7 Ombudsman’s Institution in Pakistan ............................................................... 7 Directives of the President and Former Prime Ministers Regarding Implementation of the Recommendations of Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) 7 CHAPTER-II Functions, Jurisdiction and Mode of Operations ........................................... 11 Statement of Purpose ...................................................................................... 11 Mal-administration .......................................................................................... 11 Appointment of Wafaqi Mohtasib and Tenure ............................................... 12 Independence from the Executive ................................................................... 12 Jurisdiction ...................................................................................................... 12 Who can Make a Complaint and How is it Dealt with .................................... 13 Daily ‘Mulaqat’ (Meeting) of the Ombudsman with the Complainants ......... 14 Investigation Procedure ................................................................................... 14 Recommendations for Implementation ........................................................... 14 Defiance of Recommendations ....................................................................... 15 Powers to Punish for Contempt....................................................................... 15 Inspection Team .............................................................................................. 16 Award of Costs and Compensation ................................................................. 16 Conduct of Business ........................................................................................ 16 Bar on Jurisdiction of Courts .......................................................................... 16 Representation to the President ....................................................................... 17 Informal Resolution of Disputes and Matters ................................................. 17 Miscellaneous.................................................................................................. 17 CHAPTER-III The Office ........................................................................................................... 19 Directory ......................................................................................................... 19 Personnel Position ........................................................................................... 20 Table of Contents v Budget ............................................................................................................. 21 Office Accommodation ................................................................................... 21 Framing of Service Rules ................................................................................ 21 CHAPTER-IV Visit of the Chief Executive of Pakistan .......................................................... 23 Briefing ........................................................................................................... 23 Proposals for Improvement of Performance ................................................... 24 Decisions Consequent to the Visit .................................................................. 24 CHAPTER-V Performance During the Year .......................................................................... 27 Inflow and Disposal of Complaints................................................................. 27 Initial Examination .......................................................................................... 28 Grievances Redressed ..................................................................................... 29 Nature of Mal-administration .......................................................................... 30 Agency-wise Number of Complaints and Their Disposal .............................. 30 Complaints Data Eversince Establishment of the Office ................................ 32 Disciplinary Action Recommended ................................................................ 32 CHAPTER-VI International Contacts, Meetings and Conferences ....................................... 33 Meeting of the Board of Directors of AOA .................................................... 33 Fifth Asian Ombudsman Conference .............................................................. 38 VIIth International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) Conference ........................... 40 The Second Ombudsman Leadership Forum Conference ............................... 42 CHAPTER-VII Nature of Mal-Administration/Complaints ..................................................... 43 Delay in the Grant of Retirement Benefits ...................................................... 43 Difficulties Experienced by Widows of Government Servants ...................... 45 Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) .................................... 45 Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd (PTCL) ...................................... 48 Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) ............................................... 49 House Building Finance Corporation (HBFC)................................................ 49 State Life Insurance Corporation (SLIC) .......................................................