Daily Times

President Dr Arif Alvi visited the office of Wafaqi Mohtasib on Wednesday and had a briefing on the complaints received and resolved by the Ombudsman to ensure prompt relief to citizens during the year 2023.

“Wafaqi Mohtasib has resolved 193,028 complaints against the maladministration of government departments and provided relief worth Rs 4.898 billion to citizens,” Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi said during the briefing, according to a President Secretariat press release.

The Mohtasib processed a record 1,94,099 complaints during 2023, with processing witnessing a surge of 18 per cent, while the disposal of complaints increased by 22 per cent, as compared to 2022.

Furthermore, on the recommendations of Wafaqi Mohtasib, as many as 18,000 street children were enrolled in government schools in Islamabad.

Briefing the President, the Federal Ombudsman highlighted the role and performance of the institution.

He informed that 1,93,028 complaints were addressed in 2023, with monetary relief of Rs 4.898 billion provided to the complainants.

The meeting was informed that 85.4 percent of Wafaqi Mohtasib’s decisions were implemented last year, with efforts underway to further improve the ratio of the implementation.

It was stated that the increased use of technology in Mohtasib had enhanced people’s accessibility, with 48,190 complaints registered online in 2023, marking an increase of 47 per cent from 2022. Similarly, 22,321 complaints were received through Mohtasib’s mobile App in 2023, representing a 21 per cent increase from 2022.

The meeting was also briefed on the Integrated Complaint Resolution System, processing 18,469 complaints in 2023, alongside Mohtasib’s teams conducting Khuli Kutcheries and inspection visits to address people’s grievances against government agencies. Additionally, 2,113 cases were disposed of through the Informal Resolution of Disputes.

During the meeting, the steps taken for the facilitation and resolution of complaints filed by Overseas Pakistanis were highlighted.

The Mohtasib further informed that the awareness campaign undertaken by the Ombudsman had greatly increased its outreach and helped address people’s complaints at their doorsteps.

Highlighting the significance of Mohtasib in the provision of expeditious justice and curbing corrupt practices, the President said that Mohtasib was striving to promote good governance and deliver free-of-cost justice to people.

He stressed the need to further enhance awareness among the people about the role and services of Mohtasib in providing timely justice against maladministration of government departments.

He urged the need to further expand the outreach of the Mohtasib to far-flung areas of the country, besides improving people’s access to Mohtasib by utilizing modern technology.

President Alvi lauded the performance of the Wafaqi Mohtasib, stating that it was doing a remarkable job by providing prompt relief to the people.