File photo of Salman Farooqi. PHOTO: ZAFAR ASLAM/EXPRESS
Days before the previous government was due to bow-out, last minute changes were made to the law regarding government positions. Farooqi was regularised on the pretext of already being under oath from December 7, 2012.
The office of the federal ombudsman had been vacant since October 2010 after Javed Malik retired. Farooqi was temporarily assigned additional responsibilities of federal ombudsman in an ongoing effort to clear a backlog of complaints pending disposal by the federal ombudsman.
Farooqi previously was the Secretary General to President Zardari and secretary to former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. He was also the additional secretary to former prime minister Muhammad Khan Junejo.
Farooqi is reportedly in the US where his wife is receiving treatment at a hospital.
It is the responsibility of the federal ombudsperson to provide speedy relief to citizens on their complaints against maladministration in any government agency.
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@Muslim Leaguer: Exactly. Caretakers are becoming Pakistan's Undertakers by their Actions.
The caretaker government has no mandate to make long term appointments. Any one watching... Supreme Court??
In any logical thought on this position a person with legal background is better suited.
It would be better if these over-the-hill bureaucrats are made part of some advisory committee in a honorary position, like the research organizations & think tanks in the West.
Giving an executive position to a retired person means that someone else's promotion is held up. Now, Salman might be very capable, although I have not seen signs of that in any of the country's bureaucrats given its parlous state, so its not fair to that individual.
As a whole this appointment reeks of an old boy's club mentality, where decisions affecting millions are made over dinner at the homes of bureaucrats.
Speedy relief? The octagenarian ombudsman is in the US taking care of his ailing wife and the complaints keep piling up!!