Peshawar, The Right to Public Services Commission in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has recently conducted a hearing on five public complaints, addressing issues ranging from delays in marriage certificate issuance to non-registration of FIRs. The hearing, presided over by a two-member bench led by Judge Muhammad Asim Imam, marked significant steps towards ensuring citizens’ rights to timely public services.
According to Directorate General Information and PRs – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the commission’s actions were decisive in several cases. In one instance, a citizen from Lower Dir, Shahri Satish Khan, filed a complaint regarding the delay in obtaining a marriage certificate. The commission ordered the Assistant Director of Local Government in Lower Dir to act against the village council secretary responsible for the delay and report back within fifteen days.
In another notable case, two citizens from Peshawar approached the commission due to the non-registration of their FIRs. The commission responded by issuing orders for the SHO of University Town and Pashtakhara to appear in the next hearing to address these grievances.
A further complaint involved a constituency patwari accused of not providing land, demanding bribes, and abusing a citizen’s elderly father. The commission intervened to ensure that the necessary documents were provided to the affected citizen.
The Assistant Commissioner was also summoned by the commission due to delays in addressing a public complaint. However, the Assistant Commissioner could not attend the hearing as they were on duty with the Election Commission. The commission has since instructed the Assistant Commissioner to appear in person at the next hearing.
The Right to Public Services Commission emphasized that timely access to public services is a fundamental right of every citizen. The commission declared that any government official’s failure to provide notified services within a stipulated timeframe is a punishable offense under the law. Citizens facing difficulties in accessing basic services are encouraged to approach the civic commission for resolution.