ISLAMABAD: Endorsing a decision of the federal ombudsman, President Dr Arif Alvi on Sunday rejected a claim of the State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan (SLICP) in a case and directed the organisation to give insurance money to the widow of a policyholder, along with profits.

The corporation had denied the payment of insurance claim to the widow on the grounds that her husband had pre-insurance ailment of Hepatitis C and chronic liver disease.

However, the president upheld the decision of Federal Ombudsman Tahir Shahbaz against SLICP. The president termed unfair SLICP’s rejection of insurance policy on flimsy grounds that the deceased had lied about his ailment.

“I direct the agency to settle the claim as per directive of Wafaqi Mohtasib, and ensure that payment is also made with the profits up to the date of settlement, not 2017,” he said in his reply to a SLICP representation.

“It is responsibility of the company to ensure the same at time of insurance and that the onus to prove the pre-insurance ailment rests upon the agency,” the president said in his order shared with the media by the Presidency.

Distributes cash awards, shields among artists and craftsmen

“It is very traumatising for the widow, who had been waiting for over three years for settlement. Now SLICP should settle the claim as per Wafaqi Mohtasib’s order and ensure that payment is made with profits up to the date of settlement,” he added.

Abid Bajwa had obtained a life insurance policy from SLICP in 2008 for a sum assured of Rs100,000. After his death in 2017, his widow Riffat Sultana filed the death insurance claim, which was repudiated by SLICP.

Consequently, the widow had approached federal ombudsman who passed the impugned order against which SLICP filed a representation with the president.

The ombudsman had contended that the policyholder had no serious disease when he had purchased the policy, saying that it could not be construed that he had been nursing the disease from 2008.

Lok Virsa Mela

Addressing a ceremony held to give awards to young artists and craftsmen at conclusion of a 10-day Lok Virsa Mela, President Alvi called for commercial appreciation of the folk artists and craftsmen who kept the culture alive.

“The government alone cannot promote the art and culture rather it requires the activities like exhibitions and fairs like Lok Mela. The nostalgia is also driving the people back to local culture and art,” he said, adding that “taking advantage of the available space at Lok Virsa, the frequency of Lok Mela-like activities should be enhanced for encouragement as well as the commercial uplift of the artists”.

The president also offered a lobby of the Presidency for curation with artworks for promotion of art and cultural heritage through the visiting high-profile dignitaries.

“Pakistan is rich with cultural heritage, particularly Buddhist artifacts, which attracts tourists who mostly visit these buildings and heritage sites to judge the nation’s history as well as the development,” he added.

The ceremony was attended by First Lady Samina Alvi, National Heritage and Culture Division Secretary Nosheen Javed and Lok Virsa executive director Talha Ali Khan Kushvah, besides artists from across the country.

The president said the faith-based restrictions for Muslims on drawing pictures led to the promotion of geometric art which also introduced a distinctive Islamic architecture like arches supporting huge domes and buildings.

Distributing cash awards and shields among the artists and craftsmen, he said the influx of Sufis and conquerors like Muhammad Bin Qasim further enriched the local culture by enhancing diversity.

Earlier, in her address, Nosheen Javed said that for the last four decades Lok Mela had been providing a forum to folk artists and local craftsmen to exhibit and sell their products.

The annual Lok Mela festival in the federal capital attracts both local and foreign diplomats due to mix blend of all regional colours, arts and performances presented in it.

Talha Ali called for promotion of local culture and embracing the diversity for social integration. He sought the government’s investment and attention for social engineering of society and protection of future generation against the onslaught of alien cultures.

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2020