ISLAMABAD: The Wafaqi Mohtasib (the Federal Ombudsman) has directed the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) to provide latest safety gear to its line staff.

According to an official statement, the Wafaqi Mohtasib M Salman Farooqui came to know that the line staff has been facing problems because of unavailability of safety gadgets, which resulted into death of an Iesco official in Quaid-i-Azam Colony Sub-Division, Rawalpindi.

The Mohtasib also directed Wapda to order all the power distribution companies (DISCOs) and K-electric to ensure the implementation of revised Assistance Package recently notified by the government for families of the employees who die in service. He also ordered Wapda to submit compliance report within a month.

On October 21, the Mohtasib solved a 15-year old pension case, filed by a widow of an electrocuted Wapda employee with recommendations to carry out disciplinary action against the officials responsible for their criminal negligence.

Mst Zubaida Bibi stated that her husband Aurangzeb (late) resident of Abbottabad, got electrocuted while performing his duty on August 28, 1999.

Despite visiting the Wapda office a number of time, the authority refused to give pension by saying that the qualifying service for pension was at least 10 years and Mr Aurangzeb worked for just over nine years.

Published in Dawn, November 1st , 2014