A workshop was held on 02^nd Sept, 2025 at the NED University Karachi chaired by
Mr. Muhammad Sohail Rajput, Honourable Provincial Ombudsman Sindh to select ten students of NED University as Brand Ambassadors of Provincial Ombudsman Sindh. The students will be given task to disseminate information about the role and functions of the Ombudsman among the students and the public at large.

The Honourable Ombudsman Sindh addressed the large number of students of NED University and stated that the Ombudsman institution is an important feature of the legal system to provides fast and inexpensive justice to the masses, however majority of the population is unaware of it. There is a need to raise awareness about the Institution in order to resolve the problems of people and improve service delivery.

We are striving to expand our outreach and accessibility to facilitate dispensation of administrative justice to the general public closer to their homes. Our aim is to protect people against violation of their rights, abuse of power, unfair decisions and maladministration. In this regard, we have taken many initiatives to increase awareness about our institution such as the media outreach through social media, Quarterly Newsletter and Annual Reports, public messages through print and electronic media, Pana flex displayed at important public places and SMS campaign. In addition, Khulli Kathehri are regularly being held by our Regional Offices and complaints are resolved on the spot. Through these efforts we were able to increase our fresh complaints and admitted 7827 complaints against 2318 in the same period (Jan to July’2025) last year and gave relief in 7023 cases.  Today we are here to utilize the capabilities of youth of this institution to disseminate our message.

He added that Pakistan has substantial youth population i.e. about 60% of population is under 30 years old and 26% is between 15 and 29 years and is potential for economic growth and innovation if effectively managed through education and employment opportunities. He added that the students selected as Ambassadors will build a bridge between Ombudsman office and students in particular and with the community at large, which will promote good governance and accountability of government departments.

The purpose of workshop is also to instill the concept of civic responsibilities and advocacy skills in the youth of Sindh by carrying out the community outreach of Ombudsman mandate to student community and general public. He informed that his office has already selected 10 Ambassadors each from five universities i.e. Hamdard, Sindh Medressatul Islam, Salim Habib, Sukkur IBA, SZABIST University, who have been disseminating the message of the institute through social media and community meetings. He also underlined how important it is for students to educate the society about resilience, their legal rights and the channels through which they may address issues.

Prior to this Dr. Muhammad Tufail Ahmed, worthy Vice Chancellor of Sindh NED University welcomed the Honourable Ombudsman Sindh and his team and mentioned the activities and achievements of the University and its role in providing best skilled youth to the country and also assured that student selected as Ambassador will carry the message of Ombudsman Institution effectively to the general public

Ms. Rehana G. Ali Memon, Advisor and Mr. Masood Ishrat, Registrar, Secretariat Provincial Ombudsman Sindh also briefed the participants about the concept of Brand Ambassador Program and working of Provincial Ombudsman Sindh through a detailed presentation.

In the end question and answer session was held where the Honorable Ombudsman Sindh answered the question raised on the working of Ombudsman by the students.

On 17 September 2025, Azerbaijan repatriated seven of its citizens from camps in Syria, including one woman and six children.

Following the instruction of Ombudsperson Sabina Aliyeva, staff of the Office visited the repatriated individuals accommodated in a social service facility of the Social Services Agency under the Ministry of Labor and Social Protection of the Population, to assess how their rights are being upheld.

At the meeting, the woman and children were briefed on the Ombudsperson’s mandate, activities, and avenues for appeal. They were guided also on issues such as the children’s social adaptation, education, documentation, and related needs.

Furthermore, discussions were also held with the institution’s management and staff to learn about the support provided to the accommodated individuals.

The issue remained under focus of the Ombudsperson.

Dr. Khodaeiyan, President of the GIO – General Inspection Organization of Iran, emphasized at the opening ceremony of the National Festival on “Promoting Transparency and Eliminating Conflict of Interest Situations” that the fight against corruption is a collective duty, and the most effective way to counter it is through transparency and the elimination of conflicts of interest. He described this two-day educational conference as an opportunity for public culture-building against corruption and noted that enhancing administrative integrity is among the most important means of safeguarding the Islamic Republic and fulfilling the aspirations of the martyrs of the Sacred Defense.

Paying tribute to the Sacred Defense Week, Khodaeiyan identified the unity and cohesion of the Iranian nation as the main factors behind its great victories, and stated that honoring the martyrs’ ideals and protecting the Islamic system today can only be achieved by strengthening administrative health. He likened corruption to termites that silently and gradually destroy infrastructures, stressing that in sound governance, prevention must take precedence; in this regard, “transparency” and “conflict of interest resolution” are two fundamental pillars of corruption prevention.

The President of the GIO noted that the Islamic Republic seeks a society free of corruption and discrimination, while corruption thrives in darkness and under the shadow of conflicting interests. Referring to the statements of Imam Khomeini (RA) and the Supreme Leader on combating corruption, he pointed out that the GIO has compiled the Leader’s extensive directives on this matter. He further highlighted key transparency-related laws, such as the “Freedom of Information Act,” the “Asset Disclosure Act for Public Officials,” and the “Transparency Law of the Three Branches of Government,” stressing that their proper enforcement enhances accountability and public trust, and that any unwarranted classification of documents as “confidential” creates grounds for corruption.

He also referred to the “Law on Transparency and Oversight of Campaign Financing in Parliamentary Elections,” explaining that its correct implementation obliges candidates to declare their financial contributions and identify their supporters, thereby preventing individuals from entering parliament solely on the basis of financial backing. He defined conflict of interest as situations in which a public official’s decisions serve his personal interests or those of close associates, stressing the necessity of identifying and eliminating such cases. He considered the organization of the Transparency Festival (on 9 December, the International Anti-Corruption Day) as a continuation of the 2022 National Transparency Conference, announcing the development of evaluation indicators and the introduction of leading institutions in law implementation.

In conclusion, Khodaeiyan called upon all officials to fully implement the directives of the Supreme Leader and higher-level legal frameworks, emphasizing that the cost of preventing corruption is far less than the cost of combating it after its occurrence.

The Commission Against Corruption (CCAC) of Macao plays a vital role in ensuring fair and transparent elections. It combats electoral bribery by monitoring campaign activities. Citizens can report suspected violations via hotline, online platform, or in-person visits to the CCAC. The CCAC also conducts on-site inspections and intervenes early when irregularities arise.

In preparation for the 2025 Legislative Assembly Elections, the CCAC launched a comprehensive campaign to promote clean elections in Macao, China. As part of its outreach efforts, the CCAC organised a series of community promotion tours, which attracted thousands of participants. To further engage the public, the CCAC expanded its presence across social media platforms, released tailored animated content and launched a radio series to address public concerns.

The CCAC organised a sticker design contest to promote clean elections, which received several hundred entries from participants in both the youth and open categories. The contest culminated in an award ceremony celebrating the winning designs. Additionally, a WeChat game was launched, offering participants the chance to win prizes by answering questions related to election law and clean election scenarios.

The CCAC also participated in the Legislative Assembly Elections Campaign Kick-off Day on 30^th August, where it promoted the values of clean elections among candidates, campaign teams and voters.

The Legislative Assembly Elections were successfully held on 14^th September 2025, thanks to the joint efforts of the CCAC and the citizens of Macao, China.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca and Ombudsman Mr. Sadettin Kalkan attended the 26^th Board of Directors and 18^th General Assembly Meetings of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), held in Nanjing, China on 9-10 September 2025.

During the program, bilateral meetings were held with Vice Chairman of the National Commission of Supervision of China Mr. FU Kui and High Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) of the Russian Federation Ms. Tatiana Moskalkova.

Chief Ombudsman Mr. Mehmet Akarca also delivered a speech at the International Workshop on “Effective Ombudsmanship for People’s Livelihood,” highlighting the role of Ombudsman Institutions in promoting access to justice, protecting fundamental rights, ensuring good administration, and fostering public trust. He emphasized that strong Ombudsman Institutions improve public services, contribute to social harmony, and benefit society as a whole.

– ACRC offered about 300 million won in rewards to 32 whistleblowers for corruption and public interest violations this month (August)… The revenues recovered through corruption and public interest reports by public institutions reached about 3.1 billion won.

(26, August. 2025, ACRC)

The Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission (ACRC, Chairperson Ryu Chul Whan) announced that it paid about 300 million won in rewards to 32 whistleblowers for corruption and public interest violations in August.

According to data compiled by the ACRC, the amount of revenues recovered by public institutions through corruption and public interest reports this month reached about 3.1 billion won. The top three sectors in which the biggest rewards were received were: employment (about 160 million won, 55.5%); research and development (about 60 million won, 21.2%); and welfare (about 20 million won, 8.2%).

< Cases of Reward Payment by Sector >

Furthermore, the ACRC additionally paid approximately 7 million won in rewards to six whistleblowers for cases where only partial rewards were initially provided, due to incomplete recovery of revenues by public institutions, after these institutions have seen additional recovery to their revenues.

Kim Eung Tae, Director General of the Inspection and Protection Bureau of the ACRC, said, “The ACRC uncovers corruption and public interest infringements that occur in a clandestine manner in our society through reports, and provides corresponding rewards to whistleblowers,” adding that “we will continue to provide rewards in an active manner to whistleblowers to encourage more active reporting.”

In a high-impact intervention, the Ombudsman Punjab oversaw the retrieval of 300 kanals of state land, valued at over Rs. 499 million, from illegal occupants across various districts.
This action, taken in response to public complaints, not only recovered precious government resources but also demonstrated the institution’s resolve against land grabbing and administrative negligence. Citizens across the province expressed gratitude for the decisive action taken to safeguard public property.

This province-wide operation reflects the Ombudsman’s strong commitment to protection of state assets, curbing maladministration, and ensuring accountability in public land management. The public has widely lauded this decisive action as a measure of institutional strength and integrity.

The Commissioner Against Corruption, Ao Ieong Seong, led a delegation of the CCAC of Macao to attend the 18^th Meeting of the General Assembly of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA) in Nanjing in recent days. The delegation also visited the Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Supervision.

The event was organised by the National Commission of Supervision, with the aim to gather the Asian member institutions to jointly discuss regional affairs and exchange supervisory work experience. Dozens of supervisory and ombudsman institutions in countries and regions including Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Russia and Pakistan sent their representatives to attend the meeting.

President of the AOA, Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, reported a series of events hosted by the association, the 2023/2024 audited financial situations of the AOA accounts and some other matters in the meeting. Afterwards, an international workshop themed “Effective Ombudsmanship for People’s Livelihood” was held.

In addition, Ao Ieong Seong and the delegation visited the Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Supervision where they met with its Director, Zhang Zhong. Ao Ieong Seong stated that the CCAC will promote to fulfil the governance requirement of implementing a rule-of-law society and achieve the SAR Government’s goal of good governance. Zhang Zhong introduced the anti-corruption work of the Jiangsu Provincial Commission of Supervision and shared the experience of integrity building.

The Head of the Research Department of the Ombudsman Bureau of the CCAC, Ng Soi Hong, and some others also attended the meetings.

The Commissioner Against Corruption, Ao Ieong Seong, and the Head of the Research Department of the Ombudsman Bureau, Ng Soi Hong, attending the meeting

The Ombudsman, Mr. Jack Chan, today (26 September) announced the completion of a full investigation into the Hospital Authority (“HA”)’s deposit refund arrangements for the assistive device loan service, with 12 recommendations on improvement measures made.

Hospitals under HA have assistive devices available for loan, free of rental charge, to patients with clinical needs, aiming to facilitate their rehabilitation progress and daily living during the initial post-discharge period.  HA requires borrowers to pay a deposit refundable upon the proper return of the loaned devices.

Mr. Chan said, “The Office received a complaint that after returning the wheelchair to the Occupational Therapy Department (“OTD”) of a hospital under HA, the complainant brought a written certificate issued by the OTD confirming that the wheelchair had been properly returned to the Shroff Office to request a refund of the deposit.  However, the staff insisted that the complainant could not obtain a refund without presenting the deposit receipt. The complainant considered the certificate from the OTD, together with his own identity document, sufficient to prove the return of the wheelchair and his identity as the borrower.  He alleged that the hospital concerned was unreasonable in requiring him to present the deposit receipt as a prerequisite for the refund.

“Assistive devices help patients in need manage daily living activities and facilitate their rehabilitation progress.  We commend HA for providing free-of-charge assistive device loan service to support patients and their carers.  As the refund of deposits involves financial transactions, we acknowledge that HA must handle these with caution.  Nevertheless, during our full investigation, we were concerned about the inconvenience caused to the public by the HA’s requirement and any room for improvement.

“The Office’s investigation found that hospitals already record the complainant’s name and deposit amount in the computer system at the time of payment.  On the day of returning the wheelchair, the Deposit Refund Notice issued by the Allied Health Department certifying that the borrower has returned the device intact, and identity document presented by the complainant were sufficient to confirm the return of the wheelchair and his identity.  After confirming the hospital’s records in the computer system, it was actually unnecessary for Shroff staff to require the complainant to present the deposit receipt for verifying such information and status.  Hence, in our view, the hospital concerned insisting that the complainant present the deposit receipt for refund collection after returning the assistive device was overly rigid, inflexible and redundant in practice. HA should modernise and enhance its existing arrangements.  This would help avoid the inconvenient situations where members of the public are denied a refund for not bringing a receipt.”

The Office is pleased to note that HA is in the process of reviewing and enhancing the procedures for the assistive device loan service.  HA agreed that borrowers will no longer be required to present the deposit receipt when applying for a refund.  This Office in this full investigation made 12 recommendations for improvement to HA, and HA expressed its agreement and full commitment to implementing them.

The main recommendations for improvement made by this Office to HA include:

• expediting the enhancement of arrangements and workflow for the assistive device loan service at public hospitals to standardise the current practice of allowing the authorisation of a representative to collect deposit refunds, and removing the requirement for borrowers to present the deposit receipt when applying for a refund;
• after completing the enhancements, clearly specifying in the relevant internal guidelines and the booklet for the borrowers the supporting documents the authorised representative of borrowers must present to collect deposit refunds;
• sharing this case with staff responsible for handling applications for borrowing assistive devices and related deposits, and providing staff training to ensure their awareness and understanding of the newly formulated guidelines; and
• Formulating measures to ensure that all public hospitals consistently adhere to the new guidelines in handling assistive device loan cases in future.

The full investigation report has been uploaded to the website of the Office of The Ombudsman for public information.

Deputy General Directors of Prisons and Detention Houses Mr. Fatih Güngör and Mr. Namık Kemal Varol, Head of Department Ms. Armağan Buran, and Judge Ms. Burcu Dölek paid a visit to the Ombudsman Institution, on 21 August 2025.

During the meeting with Ombudsman Ms. Fatma Benli Yalçın and experts from the Ombudsman Institution, information was shared and views were exchanged regarding the work carried out for children.