Overseas Pakistanis file 80,000 complaints

Federal Ombudsman Office received most grievances related to PIA, passports

ISLAMABAD: The federal ombudsman office received over 80,000 complaints from overseas Pakistanis during the past seven months.

According to data compiled by Wafaqi Mohtasib, 43,000 complaints were registered online by overseas Pakistanis residing in Germany, Malaysia, New York, Middle Eastern countries and Saudi Arabia against Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), issuance of passport by National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and delayed salaries. The remaining 39,000 complaints were registered against difficulties being faced at international airports.



According to the figures, of the 43,000 complaints, 20,000 were registered by Pakistanis residing in Denmark over dual nationality issues, whereas, 10,000 complaints were registered by unpaid citizens working in Saudi Arabia.



Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis Hafiz Ahsan Khokhar told The Express Tribune that a huge number of complaints indicated that people were aware of their rights, had the courage to report them and also had the will to address all kinds of misadministration in government departments.

“Wafaqi Mohtasib has already moved a summary to the prime minister to resolve the longstanding issue of 20,000 Pakistanis residing in Denmark seeking dual nationality,” Khokhar added.



Sharing details of the problems being faced by the overseas Pakistanis at international airports, he said majority of the complaints were regarding baggage claims and mishandling of baggage.

Khokhar said the ombudsman had established a website for overseas Pakistanis to lodge any complaints related to about 40 federal government departments.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 1^st, 2016.