MARDAN: The deputy adviser to Federal Ombudsman Ijaz Ahmad Qureshi convened an open Kutchery at the deputy commissioner’s office here on Monday to listen to public issues.

On the occasion, the residents, including traders, complained about poor service delivery of federal government departments, especially Peshawar Electric Supply Company, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines, Directorate General of Immigration and Passport and National Database and Registration Authority. They said Pesco was subjecting them to excessive power outage, over-billing and illegal fines.

They said the passport office was using unnecessary delay in issuance of normal passports.

Deputy commissioner Fayyaz Khan Sherpao, city mayor Himayatullah Mayar, additional deputy commissioner Samiur Rehman, president of Mardan Chamber of Commerce and Industries Zahir Shah, and officials of Pesco, SNGPL, passport office, Nadra and Pakistan Baitul Mal were in attendance.

On the occasion, Bakhtiar Gul, the federal ombudsman’s deputy adviser, said complaints against federal government departments could be filed with federal ombudsman’s secretariat in Islamabad and its sub-offices.

He said complaints were processed immediately, adding complaints of overseas Pakistanis were also paid heed.

Mr Gul assured that the issues raised by the people would be resolved on a priority basis.

VC APPOINTMENT: Delay in appointment of regular vice-chancellor and pro-vice chancellor of the Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan has delayed issuance of degrees to over 4,000 students, it has been learnt.

According to sources in AWKUM, award of degrees to over 4,000 students had been delayed for four months for want of signatures by the vice-chancellor, depriving students of the chance to apply for admissions in varsities at home and abroad for higher education.

Besides, they said the administrative affairs of the varsity had also been badly affected.

The resources said lack of stationery might also force the varsity to postpone upcoming examinations.

They said despite being a prominent university of the province, the deans of life sciences and numerical sciences could not be appointed till date.

The students said they would be forced to launch a protest campaign if the higher education department didn’t appoint a regular VC to the varsity at the earliest.

Published in Dawn, April 23rd, 2024