ISLAMABAD: The Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) of Pakistan has received 164,174 complaints in the year 2022 with 50 per cent increase in disposal rate.

This was mentioned to President Dr Arif Alvi by Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, who on Friday presented an annual report of his office.

The FO received 164,174 cases last year against 110,398 in 2021. The FO, last year, disposed of 157,770 complaints as compared to 106,732 complaints in 2021 with an increase of 50 per cent.

During the meeting, President Alvi asked the FO to intensify its awareness campaign to inform people about its role in the provision of cost-effective justice against maladministration of federal government organisations.

Annual report stresses need for expanding reach of office to far-flung areas

The annual report-2022 of the institution emphasised on the need for strengthening the capacity of the FO and enhancing its reach to far-flung areas of the country to address grievances of the people at their doorsteps.

He said people suffering from excesses and injustices at the hands of the government’s functionaries needed to be provided immediate relief.

Mr Qureshi told the president about the role of his office in providing justice to people against the maladministration of government organisations during the year 2022.

He said phenomenal growth in the number of complaints and swift disposal of cases showed that the people trusted the institution of Mohtasib that was providing them cost-effective justice.

One-window facilitation desks had been established at all international airports in Pakistan to address the grievances of overseas Pakistanis.

He said that 137,647 overseas Pakistanis had been facilitated by the agencies of the government, including National Database Registration Authority (Nadra), passport office and Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) during 2022.

The president said the FO had extended its outreach to far-flung districts by establishing its offices in Mirpur Khas, Khuzdar and Swat as well as the former tribal areas of Kurram and South Waziristan to provide relief to complainants of those areas.

The federal ombudsman updated the president on his special initiatives regarding Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD) and Khuli Kutchehries for ensuring better service delivery to the general public. The complaints were also being heard online, he added.

The FO said 97 per cent increase was recorded in receipt of online complaints. He underlined that the ombudsman’s office wanted to further enhance its outreach and strengthen its capacity but was facing financial difficulties.

He apprised the president that under the Integrated Complaint Resolution (ICR) system, the Mohtasib had integrated 183 different agencies of the federal government for facilitation of quick disposal of complaints.

Underlining the need for providing quick and free-of-cost justice to the common person, President Alvi asked the Mohtasib to increase its outreach using modern ICR tools and create awareness through media about its functions and services.

The president appreciated the Mohtasib for its excellent performance in improving service delivery and the rule of law in the country and assured the FO of his full support in further strengthening the institution and enhancing its stature as a premier institution of administrative accountability.

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2023