Islamabad: Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf Saturday temporarily assigned additional responsibilities of Federal Ombudsman to Mr. Salman Farooqui, Secretary General to the President, to clear the backlog of 75000 complaints of people aggrieved of actions or inactions of federal institutions pending with the Mohtasib for the past over two years.

The temporary assignment will last till the appointment of Ombudsman on regular basis which is expected soon. A large number of complaints have piled in the office of Mohtasib which could not be disposed for want of appointment of Ombudsman.

Mr. Salman Farooqui called on the Prime Minister and thanked him for the trust reposed in him.
The Prime Minister expressed the hope that his long services in the government will enable Mr. Salman Farooqui to clear the deck of backlog cases before the Wafaqi Mohtasib pending the finalization of Ombudsman on a regular basis.

The office of the Ombudsman has been vacant since Mr. Javed Malik, former Ombudsman completed his four year tenure. Thanking the Prime Minister Mr. Salman Farooqui said that he had accepted the assignment as public service and will work in honorary capacity. Mr. Salman Farooqui remained with the Prime Minister for some time.