(Address of Syed Tahir Shahbaz, Federal Ombudsman on the eve of inauguration of New Regional Office at Sargodha)

The Federal Ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has said that no fee and lawyer is needed in filing a complaint in the office of Wafaqi Mohtasib.  He said that every complaint is disposed of within 60 days.  He said that the office of Wafaqi Mohtasib is struggling to provide speedy justice at the doorstep of a citizen.  He said that Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat (WMS) has initiated a number of innovative techniques through traditional and social media tools to increase awareness among the general public about the use of services being offered. He said that any citizen can file a complaint on a simple plain paper on maladministration of any federal department.  He said that his office started its services in 1983 with receipt of 7812 complaints which has no reached in 2020 at 134,000 complaints.  He further said that his Institution has developed an interface with 178 Federal Government Agencies for better monitoring and expeditious resolution of public grievances.  Any complaint which remains un-resolved with any Agency for more than 30 days is automatically transferred to the CMIS of the WMS.  He was addressing in a ceremony to inaugurate Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat’s 15th Regional Office, at Sargodha.

Syed Tahir Shahbaz said that speedy and free of cost justice is being delivered at the doorsteps of the people by the institution of Wafaqi Mohtasib. He said that 89% findings have been implemented during 2020.  He said that 1103 Review Petitions were filed either by the complainants or the Agencies concerned against the findings of the Wafaqi Mohtasib in 130,112 disposed of during the year.  He said that another Regional Office of WMS has recently been established in Kharan, Balochistan to facilitate the people of far flung area to get their grievances resolved.  He said that the WMS has especially caring the Overseas Pakistanis and a special cell have been established in his office to resolve the complaints of Overseas Pakistan on speedy basis.  He further said that One Window Facilitation Desks have been established at all international airports of Pakistan for the facilitation of Overseas Pakistanis, where representatives of 12 departments present there for 24 hours.

 The Federal Ombudsman by taking a cognizance of great problem of widows and old aged people in getting profits on the saving certificates, streamlined the systemic issues of Pakistan Post Offices and National Savings and now their profits would automatically be transferred to the their normal banking accounts.  He said that the ombudsman office is making strenuous efforts to improve jails conditions in Pakistan by changing the mindset and to remove the irritants of criminal administrative justice system on the orders of Supreme Court of Pakistan. The living conditions in jails especially the women and children have been improved, he said.

(M. JAVED CHAUDHARY)

 Director Media