ISLAMABAD: Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi on Wednesday said the Institution of Wafaqi Mohtasib had significantly enhanced its outreach and accessibility over the past few years through a series of administrative and technological initiatives.
Addressing a press conference at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat, he said these measures included the establishment of new regional offices, expansion to 28 cities across the country, integration of modern technology, launch of an official WhatsApp channel, strengthened presence on digital and social media platforms, and the introduction of the Outreach Complaint Resolution (OCR) programme along with inspection visits to federal government agencies.
As a result of these initiatives, the number of people seeking relief and benefiting from the institution was expected to exceed 250,000 during the current year, he said.
The federal ombudsman disclosed that nearly 6,960 complaints had been resolved under the informal resolution of disputes (IRD) mechanism. He added that when 128,427 complaints filed by overseas Pakistanis and 653 complaints related to children were included, the cumulative number of cases handled approached 400,000.
He said 12 new regional offices had been established over the past four years, raising the total to 28, including the head office in Islamabad. The number of Khuli Kutchehries (open courts) and OCR visits had also increased substantially, enabling citizens in remote and far-flung areas to receive administrative relief at their doorsteps.
Highlighting digital reforms, Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi said the launch of the official WhatsApp channel and online complaint mechanisms had made access easier for the public. “This year, more than 45 per cent of complaints were received online, and the provision of online hearings has spared complainants the need to physically visit offices,” he said.
He informed that the institution had redressed 246,602 complaints up to December 15 this year. Since its establishment in 1983, the Wafaqi Mohtasib has provided relief to more than 2.58 million households. “Given that an average household consists of four to five members, the net relief extended to the public may have benefited nearly 10 million people,” he added.
The federal ombudsman said a dedicated implementation section within the secretariat ensured compliance with decisions in letter and spirit, achieving an implementation rate of over 93 per cent this year.
He concluded by saying that performance-based awards had been introduced for the first time in the institution’s history to recognise officers and staff members who demonstrated consistent and outstanding performance, further strengthening service delivery and public trust.
