Deputy Attorney General Nasar Ahmad, on behalf of the federal government submitted, before the bench that the federal ombudsman had jurisdiction to entertain all complaints having a federal character including complaints of trans-provincial organisations. He explained that the provincial ombudsman could not exercise jurisdiction over a federal organisation or its officers as they transcend the provincial boundaries. Representing the Punjab government, Additional Advocate Generals Samia Khalid and Anwaar Hussain contended that jurisdiction vested with the provincial as well as the federal ombudsman. However, the bench did not agree with the arguments of the petitioners against the jurisdiction of the federal ombudsperson. It ruled that if the workplace falls strictly within the territorial boundaries of the Provincial Ombudsman, then jurisdiction vests with the Provincial Ombudsman and where the employer or organisation transcends provincial boundaries then jurisdiction vests with the Federal Ombudsman.

Source: Pakistan Today September 28, 2018 06:45 UTC