Punjab Ombudsman gets Rs216.1m in dues released to 269 citizens in three months

The Office of the Ombudsman Punjab secured the release of outstanding dues worth Rs216.10 million for 269 citizens across the province in the last three months, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported from Lahore on November 3.

The citizens had gone to the Ombudsman after government departments delayed or refused to pay what they were legitimately owed. The Ombudsman Punjab directed the relevant departments to release the outstanding amounts, which gave the complainants financial relief.

Daily Pakistan, in its Urdu report, gave a category-wise breakdown. According to it, 80 citizens received financial assistance totalling Rs89.4 million, and 55 citizens received unpaid salaries totalling Rs36.7 million.

The same report said 30 citizens received contractual dues worth Rs26.7 million, while 16 citizens received pension payments totalling Rs37.0 million and 8 received family pension payments totalling Rs2.915 million.

Grants made up another part of the total. Forty citizens received marriage grants worth Rs10.9 million, and 10 received death grants totalling Rs5.798 million. Twenty-three citizens received GP fund payments totalling Rs5.2 million.

Smaller payments included property tax refunds of Rs239,000 for 3 citizens and retirement benefits of Rs113,000 for 2 citizens. One citizen received a group insurance payment of Rs923,000 and another a gratuity payment of Rs750,000.

Daily Pakistan put the overall figure at more than Rs216.61 million, slightly different from the Rs216.10 million given by APP. Its Urdu summary gives the total as 21 crore 61 lakh rupees.

Daily Pakistan also reported that complainants thanked the Ombudsman's office for its timely intervention, saying it ended long-standing financial hardship.