960408

Asian ombudsmen's

moot from 15th

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto will inagurate the First Asian Ombudsmen Conference, convened by Pakistan here, on April 15.

The two-day international moot will be attended by about 40 delegates from 16 Asian countries. The ombudsmen or Heads of similar institutions from China, Japan, Malaysia, South Korea, Hong Kong, Iran, Turkey, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Jordan, Maldives, Iraq, Sudan, Yemen, and Macau are expected to arrive in the federal capital before or by April 14 to participate in the conference.

The Conference, spread over six sessions, will deliberate on promoting the concept of ombudsman, its development as well as facilitating the exchange of information and experiences between the ombudsmen and Ombudsman-like institutions in Asian countries.

It will also explore the possibilities of setting up and Asian ombudsman association and draw up plans for arranging periodic conferences of these institutions. There are organizations or institutions to which ordinary people can have recourse for redressal of their grievances against public authorities.

Such like institutions exist in about 75 countries of the world. At international level, there is an International Ombudsman Institute (IOI).

Mr. Justice (Rtd) Abdul Shakur Salam, Ombudsman of Pakistan, has been elected to represent the Asian region on its board of directors. Region-wise, North-America, Europe, Africa, Australsia-Pacific have ombudsmen associations. Asia, the largest continent, is without one, which could provide institutional support in promoting the concept of Ombudsman.-APP