President Asif Ali Zardari Thursday signed into law the Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Bill 2013, which further ensures expeditious disposal of complaints, streamlining the procedure for representation against the decisions of various mohtasibs, besides giving citizens the right to move a review petition against the findings of the ombudsman.
The president signed the bill at the Presidency. Acting Wafaqi Mohtasib Salman Faruqui, federal and provincial ombudsmen, Law Minister Farooq H Naek and President Zardari’s spokesman Farhatullah Babar were also present.
Babar said the office of the federal ombudsman would no more fall vacant as it has been ensured under the new law that the grievances of the people were heard in perpetuity.
He said that under the law, the ombudsman would have given four-year tenure; however, the incumbent ombudsman would continue to hold office after the expiry of his tenure until a new ombudsman takes over.
Babar also said this has been done to avoid complaints from piling up during the period of interregnum between the expiry of tenure of an ombudsman and appointment of a successor.
The ombudsmen after the expiry of his four-year term would not be eligible for re-appointment or extension and that the removal of ombudsman would be through the Supreme Judicial Council on grounds of being incapable of properly performing duties by reasons of physical or mental incapacity or if found to have been guilty of misconduct.