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MULTAN, Jun 12 (APP):Widow of a BPS-18 Audit Officer received over Rs 1.87 million under revised Family Assistance Package on the order of Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi here Wednesday.
The District Accounts Office Multan officials informed the Federal Ombudsman regional office in compliance report that the cheque was handed over to the complainant widow.
Farhat Arshad, the widow of a BPS-18 Auditor Arshad Iqbal Shahia, said in her complaint that her husband had died in 2013 while serving in Directorate General Audit (DGA) Punjab and she applied for the payment of benefits. The concerned office paid the benefits in the light of old notification instead of instructions laid down in the Federal Government’s revised notification. After failing to get relief, she filed petition with the office of Federal Ombudsman. The Federal Ombudsman Multan region senior investigator Dr. Zahid Malik sought report from DGA Punjab. The department said in its report that benefits were paid to the widow, however, later, the government revised its policy in the year 2014 with effect from June 5, 2013. But it remained in abeyance till issuance of clarification by Establishment Division in 2018. The bereaved family submitted its claim on Nov 17, 2023 for payment of Financial Assistance Package under revised notification. An official who appeared before the Federal Ombudsman said that a request was then forwarded to the department for allocation of budget but they were informed they needed advice from the regulation wing.
The Federal Ombudsman then issued notices to DG AGPR Lahore, DG Audit Punjab, and Director Policy Islamabad for submission of reply, says Federal Ombudsman Multan office spokesman.
During the hearing, Mohib Ali Magsi, Audit Officer DGA Punjab, Multan, said the payment would be made soon after allocation of budget in the light of advice from regulation wing. The federal Ombudsman ordered that the payment be made and compliance report be sent to his office within fifteen days.
On Wednesday, Audit Officer appeared before the Federal Ombudsman Multan regional advisor and informed that a cheque worth Rs 18,786,747 was handed over to the complainant widow by accounts office Multan.
Dr. Zahid Malik said that Federal Ombudsman office was speedily redressing grievances of people on their complaints against federal government departments in accordance with laws and rules.