Muzaffarabad: Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, the Federal Ombudsman (Wafaqi Mohtasi), urged the heads of federal agencies in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to promptly solve complaints in the area on Wednesday.
He issued this directive at the inauguration of the Ombudsman’s regional office in Muzaffarabad.
He stated that because the regional office was consistently engaging with the public. More and more individuals were contacting it to voice their complaints. He also ensured a swift resolution to these grievances.
The Ombudsman said that a record number of complaints were received and resolved in the previous year, 2024. He added that the number of complaints received and resolved in the year 2024 had increased to a record level.
Qureshi claims that out of the 226,372 complaints his agency received last year, 223,171 were settled. Since 2023, the number of complaints received has increased by 17 per cent. While the number of complaints addressed has increased by 16 per cent.
The surge in the number of public complaints can be seen as a good indicator. It can be seen as a sign of people’s trust and confidence in their government.
“Our investigating officers travelled across the country, holding Khuli Katcheries (open courts; public courts where everyone may express their concerns and complains to the government) to ensure administrative justice reached people’s doorsteps,” he stated. Qureshi added that his office could truly be seen as and considered “court for the common man.”
The ombudsman further added the pleasant news that the institution’s reach had grown to 24 cities across the country with the opening of regional offices in Muzaffarabad and Gilgit. He also shared that the government intends to open new regional offices later this year.
Senior AJK officials, chiefs of federal agencies, representatives of civil society, and members of the media attended the inauguration ceremony.
On December 27, 2021, Mr Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi took the oath of office as Pakistan’s eighth regular ombudsman (Wafaqi Mohtasib). He graduated with a master’s degree in public policy and planning from Pennsylvania State University in the United States. also with a master’s degree in political science from the University of the Punjab.
Later, during a press conference, he praised the media’s positive involvement and stated that it continues to play a crucial role in educating the public about the existence of this helpful platform for the timely resolution of public grievances.
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