Ombudsman annoyed over contractors direct approach for payments

Lahore: Ombudsman Punjab Javed Mehmood has taken the notice of approaching directly by the contractors to the Ombudsman Secretariat and its regional offices for payment of development works instead of concerned departments and directed the contractors to follow their agreements in case of non-payment and firstly approach all forums in the concerned departments for remedy. He said that it is also legal and moral obligation of every contractor that he should first contact to that department for payment to which he has made a written agreement. He assured that if the matters of payment are not solved despite fulfilling all legal formalities, the Ombudsman Office will play its role in this regard.

Ombudsman Punjab has directed Secretary Ombudsman Secretariat Umar Rasool to revisit all applications submitted by contractors for payment and further action should immediately be stopped on those applications which are under hearing in Ombudsman office without approaching concerned departments according to the terms and conditions of the contract and applicants should be directed to first approach the concerned departments according to legal requirements.