Islamabad, July 13, 2021 (PPI-OT):President Dr Arif Alvi has called for strengthening and improving the institutions of Ombudsmen by using the modern technology, amending existing laws and enhancing their outreach to provide speedy justice to the people at district and sub-district levels against the administrative injustices. Emphasising the need to protect the rights of the people against administrative injustices, he urged the Ombudsmen to play their active role in readdressing their grievances.
He also underlined the need for enhancing the outreach of all Ombudsmen to remote areas and creating awareness among the people about the useful role being played by the Ombudsmen in dispensing free-of-cost and speedy justice to the aggrieved parties. The President made these remarks while chairing the full review meeting of all Ombudsmen, at Aiwan-e-Sadr, today. The Ombudsmen briefed the President about the performance of their respective organizations in providing justice to the aggrieved parties. Federal Ombudsman, Syed Tahir Shahbaz, updated the President about the achievements of his organisation.
He informed that 133,521 complaints had been received in the Wafaqi Mohtasib in 2020, as against 73,069 in 2019, whereas 130,212 had been disposed of during the same year. He elaborated that steps were being taken to help address the grievances of the people of remote areas by establishing complaint cells and offices for their facilitation. Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO), Mushtaq Ahmad Sukhera, apprised the chair about the measures taken by Tax Ombudsman to provide relief to the people against the maladministration of tax authorities.
He stated that FTO had facilitated a refund amount of Rs. 8,242.45 million, as against Rs. 5,865 million in year 2019, to the aggrieved parties against the maladministration of Tax functionaries. He informed that FTO had addressed 3,410 complaints out of 3,715 in 2020. Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace (FOSPAH), Ms. Kashmala Tariq, highlighted that her organization was focusing on the protection of women against harassment at the workplace. She said that FOSPAH had received 1,241 complaints during 2018-20 as against 398 in 2013-17.
She informed that FOSPAH had disposed of 1,133 complaints out of 1,241 during 2018-20. Banking Mohtasib of Pakistan, Mr. Kamran Shahzad, apprised the meeting that the Banking Mohtasib had received 20,220 complaints during January-June 2021, as compared to 11,174 during the corresponding period of last year. He informed that Rs. 305 million relief had been provided to the complainants and 14,910 complaints had been disposed of during the same period. Federal Insurance Ombudsman (FIO), Dr Muhammad Khawar Jameel, briefed the meeting about the performance of FIO in providing relief to aggrieved insurance policy holders.
He highlighted that 3,107 complaints had been received, against 2,441 in 2019, and out of which 2183 had been disposed of. The President lauded the performance and achievements of the Ombudsmen in providing expeditious and free of cost justice to the people against administrative injustices. The President appreciated the performance of all Ombudsmen who had done a remarkable job by providing expeditious and free-of-cost justice to the people against the maladministration of government organizations.
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