09-11-2009, 04:44 PM
I missed a beat reading that Mr. Justice ® Rana Baghwan Das has been posted as the Chairman Public Service Commission. Justice ® Banghwan Das is a most honourable man. None of my family has ever been connected with judiciary nevertheless as a Karachitie I had learnt about three four persons namely Justice Rana Baghwan Das, Justice Mamoon Kazi, Justice Zahid Nasir Aslam etc working till late hours with public issues related cases and their approach on such files was always public spirited. Unfortunately since quite some time it appears it is now our determined national policy never to put the right man to the right place. After Justice Sardar Iqbal whom the most serious national daily a few years back termed as âso far unmatched for ombudsmanâ, Mr. Justice Riaz Hussain, Justice Shafiur Rehman and Mr. S.M. Muneer we could not find on the chair the right person as the Ombudsman. Though later much able persons came on these seats but lacking the real God gifted public spirit. This is the reason even the Government January this year had to face a voice in the National Assembly as to why the ombudsman system had become ineffective. When we will appoint holy cows then how can results be expected. Early this year the nation saw a battle on appointment of the Punjab Ombudsman. Shahbaz Sharif Government appointed a person whom the Federal representative the Punjab Governor refused to administer oath as he or the federal ruling party wanted to post their âown manâ. How can a judge or a qazi can be âoneâs own manâ? He is only a judge or a Kazi. Such a battle then means that through posting of âown manâ expecting âdecisionsâ not âjusticeâ according to own wishes of those whose man sits. In other word on the seat in such a case is not a âGod fearingâ judge/qazi/ombudsman but a âmanâ sitting obliged to his appointer. Justice ® Aslam Nasir Zahid was the most suitable person to be appointed as Ombudsman but he was never consider reason only being he was truly public spirited and not âanyoneâs manâ. Though Public Service Commission also deals with public and presence of Mr. Justice Rana Baghwan Das would definitely deliver nevertheless his presence as Ombudsman would had benefited truly to a huge segment of the aggrieved suffering population as the ombudsman offices deal with thousands time higher number of masses than the PSC. Today it is beyond any doubt in appointment "top transparency" and "true merits" are kept in consideration. I quote only one example. Against a complaint the Sindh Ombudsman signed and issued his "Decision" in June 2008. Under the good governance under the command of "good postings" the copies of the same have been distributed for the parties completely after one year in June 2009. This is what my I missed heart beat.