Federal Ombudsman meeting on establishment of One Window Desks Facilitation in Arrival Lounge of 08 Airports
Islamabad, the 28th February, 2019 Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman has directed the concerned agencies working on the One Window Facilitation Desks at 08 International airports to improve further to facilitate the Overseas Pakistanis. He was chairing a high level meeting to get the progress report of the One Window Facilitation Desk. The Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokhar briefed on the progress of One Window Facilitation Desks established at 08 international airports around the country. He added that all Overseas Pakistanis have lauded this initiative of the Wafaqi Mohtasib and informed that through these Facilitation Desks, 151,738 passengers have been facilitated since its establishment. The representatives of CAA, ASF, ANF, Immigration & Passport, NADRA, Bureau of Immigration & OPF etc. participated and presented their progress reports of the One Window Facilitation Desk. The rep. of NADRA informed that all Overseas Pakistanis are facilitated to get new NICOP, POC(Pakistani Origin Card), its renewal and their verification etc. at these desks. He said that 12250 Overseas Pakistanis were facilitated by issuing Cards through One Window Facilitation Desks. The DG, Bureau of Emigration (BOE) informed that 80% of Overseas Pakistanis who got work visa had been facilitated through issuance of life insurance and bank accounts through National Bank of Pakistan along with provision of two ATMs i.e. for Pakistan and abroad. He said that a comprehensive awareness campaign had been launched and are being sensitized through social & conventional media advising not to carry anybody’s luggage because most of the illegal things are carried through this way. He informed that BOE is trying that every work visa holder should travel through their system so that he could be facilitated for insurance and other facilities etc. He further informed that BOE is establishing its regional offices in other major cities of the country so that labour and technical bounded jobs could be provided to the people through their system. The rep. of FIA admitted that their sensitization area is weak and FIA is working to strengthen it and planned to more sensitize the Overseas Pakistanis on immigration issues so that they could travel in a safe way. The reps. of ANF informed that only 17 complaints of their officials had received from these desks and had took strict action against them. He further informed that out of which 01 dismissed from service, 05 cleared on baseless complaints and others suspended for further inquiry. The reps. Of Customs, ANF and Immigration & Passport etc. also presented their progress reports. Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokhar, Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistan suggested establishing Facilitation Desks in the arrival lounges as well to facilitate the Overseas Pakistanis. The Ombudsman ordered to immediate establish the Facilitation Desks in the arrival lounge of 08 international airports. All the reps. of the departments complained in issuance of security passes to their employees by the ASF. The Ombudsman ordered the ASF to issue security passes to the employees of One Window Facilitation Desks on monthly basis. He asked the Secretary Wafaqi Mohtasib to take up the matter with the Secretary Aviation Division for provision of other facilities to the reps. of facilitation desks at all international airports. The Ombudsman also ordered the Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis to hold quarterly meetings at each airport to resolve the ground problems and to know the progress in provision of facilitation to the Overseas Pakistanis. Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman showed complete satisfaction on the facilitations provided to the Overseas Pakistanis on these airports and desired to facilitate the Overseas Pakistanis in an highest manner as they are the asset of Pakistan in generating foreign remittance.
PRESS RELEASE