QUETTA: The office of federal ombudsman disposed of over the past decade one million cases filed against institutions, organisations and agencies falling in the jurisdiction of the federal government.

Addressing a press conference here on Friday, Agha Nadeem, Secretary Ombuds-man, Adviser and Grievance Commissioner of the Capital Development Authority, said that against the disposed of cases only 600 appeals were filed with the president of Pakistan.

He said the office of federal ombudsman played a pivotal role in providing swift justice to people during the past decade. He said the federal ombud-sman office was set up under Presidential Ordinance, 1983, and further improvement was brought to the institution after enforcement of Federal Ombudsman Regulations, 2013.

Mr Nadeem said that after a decision that applications and complaints against an institution, organisation or agency would be disposed of within 60 days, Federal Ombudsman Salman Farooqui disposed of all cases till December last year which were pending since long.

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He said the regional office of the federal ombudsman was established in Quetta in 1985. Now an applicant could file a complaint or application under a very easy procedure without engaging a lawyer, he said. He said the regional office disposed of 156 cases last year. It received most of the complaints against the National Database and Registration Authority, Passport and Immigration Office and the Quetta Electric Supply Com-pany.

The secretary said the Federal Ombudsman and its regional offices used the methodology of mediation between the applicant and the state institution to resolve the issue. However, he pointed out, a party could also move the Federal Ombudsman if it did not agree to the decision of the Regional Director Office or Investigation Office.

“The Federal Ombudsman himself conducts hearing into the appeals filed against the verdict of the Regional Office,” he said. Moreover, the applicant could file a presentation with the office of president of Pakistan against the judgment of the Federal Ombudsman.

He said that measures were being taken to bring improvement in the regional office in Quetta so that complaints could be decided in a better way. “We are also going to open more regional offices to provide justice to people at maximum level.”

In reply to a question, he said the Federal Ombudsman had powers to hear complaints against an organisation, institution or agency which were funded by the federal government or functioning under its licence or the federal government had its share in the organisation concerned. The Adviser in the Ombudsman Office, retired Maj Gen Haroon Pasha, and the Director, Regional Office, Quetta, Mirza Mehmood, attended the press conference.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2014