ISLAMABAD: Federal Ombudsman Salman Faruqui presented to President Mamnoon Hussain three separate reports suggesting some reforms in pensions, prisons and police station systems of the country at a meeting at the Presidency on Tuesday.

Federal Tax Ombudsman Abdur Rauf Chaudhry also attended the meeting.

A spokesman for the president said that President Mamnoon Hussain welcomed the preparation of a comprehensive report by experts for resolution of pension issues of retired government employees. The president expressed the hope that these reports would help improve working of these offices.

The president asked the Federal Ombudsman to continue his work to provide free and speedy justice to the people.

Mr Mamnoon appreciated the work of the Federal Ombudsman and requested him that while disposing different cases, he should also suggest some disciplinary action against officials involved in maladministration besides providing relief to the complainant.

The spokesman quoted the president as saying: “Laws are meant to help and facilitate people and not to create difficulties for them. Seven committees of the Federal Ombudsman set up to examine the working of various government organisations will submit effective and practicable recommendations to the government for providing better services to the people.”

BEIJING FORUM: At a separate ceremony for inauguration of the Beijing Forum at the NUST University, the president said that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was a historic step forward for the welfare of people and the development of road, rail, sea and air infrastructure projects by the two countries would transform the region into a hub for regional and global trade.

Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz, Minister for Defence Production and Science & Technology Rana Tanveer Hussain, Chairman of Peking University Council Prof Zhu Shan Lu, China’s Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong and Rector of NUST retired Lt-Gen Muhammad Asghar were also present on the occasion.

The president expressed satisfaction that Islamabad had been chosen for holding the Beijing Forum’s first session outside China.

“It is a matter of satisfaction that National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST) and Peking University have taken the initiative for organising this event for which both these eminent institutions and their organisers deserve to be praised.”

He said the CPEC would not only lead to a robust regional connectivity but it would also be a foundation for historical “One Belt — One Road” vision of China which would usher in an era of global peace, prosperity and stability.

“Pak-China relations are a model for the entire world and both countries have always adopted a common stance at all forums for resolution of international issues, regional peace and stability and have wholeheartedly extended cooperation to the international community for achievement of these objectives,” he added.

The president said that the youth of the two countries would play a leading role in this endeavour as highlighted by Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah that youth were the real architects of future.

Published in Dawn, May 25th, 2016