Ombudsman’s Office Receives Unprecedented Complaints in 2023

News Desk

Islamabad: The Wafaqi Mohtasib of Pakistan handled a remarkable 194,099 complaints concerning the maladministration of government departments in 2023, marking an 18 percent  increase from the previous year.

Of these, 193,028 complaints were resolved, indicating a 22 percent  rise compared to 2022.

Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi presented the annual report of the Federal Ombudsman to President Asif Ali Zardari at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the President Secretariat Press Wing announced. During the meeting, the Mohtasib briefed the president on the institution’s performance and initiatives.

He emphasized that the ombudsman was dedicated to providing swift and cost-free justice to complainants facing maladministration within various government departments.

Notably, he mentioned a significant increase in online complaints, totaling 49,190, up by 47 percent  from the previous year.

Additionally, 22,321 complaints were received through the mobile app, marking a 21 percent increase from 2022.

The Mohtasib underscored the utilization of advanced technology to expedite case resolution and extend services to remote areas of the country.

He attributed the rise in complaints to the establishment of new regional offices, the organization of open forums (Khuli Katcheries), the introduction of the Informal Resolution of Disputes mechanism, and inspection team visits.

Moreover, the Mohtasib highlighted the Overseas Pakistanis office within the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat, which processed a record 202,367 complaints received through Pakistan Missions abroad and one-stop facilitation desks at international airports.

President Asif Ali Zardari commended the Mohtasib’s performance and stressed the importance of further expanding outreach to ensure maximum benefit for the public.