HARIPUR: Civil society activists have formed a citizens’ forum with the objective of resolving the problems of Haripur residents related to government departments.

A decision to this effect was announced during a meeting here on Sunday. The ‘Awami Forum Haripur’ has members from the district bar association, Haripur Press Club, teachers and traders’ bodies, human rights activists, labour leaders, health professionals and workers of political parties.

The forum’s supreme council was also formed with former district bar president Maqbool Hussain Advocate elected its president. Journalist Musharraf Hazarvi, Abdul Saboor Qureshi, Aurangzeb Mughal, Fiaz Hussain and vice-chairman District Public Safety Commission Sadaqat Hasan were named members of the council.

The forum has different committees, including health, human rights, services, women empowerment, legal, education and labour rights. These bodies have their own chairmen and office-bearers.

Speaking on the occasion, Maqbool Hussain Advocate said these committees would take up individual and collective public complaints against the government departments in case their genuine problems were not addressed.

The forum would be working on a three-pronged strategy with its office-bearers taking up complaints with the department concerned after confirming their veracity and legal standing. And, in case the complaint was not addressed, the matter would be referred to local media and later to the forum’s legal committee for seeking relief from court.

“The option of peaceful protest in case officials of the department concerned show reluctance in addressing the complaints will remain open,” Mr Maqbool Advocate said, adding the purpose of the forum was to facilitate resolution of problems of the people, who had no political backing or influence.

He made it clear that the forum had no political interest, saying it was formed purely for providing free services to common citizens in redressing their problems.

Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2021