People demand more Citizen Facilitation Centres in twin cities

Complains about lack of dedicated space for women

ISLAMABAD: People have demanded of the interior ministry to set up more Citizen Facilitation Centres for issuance of arms licenses, domicile and international driving licenses and vehicle token tax.

The people visiting Citizens Facilitation Centre (CFC) at G-11 Islamabad from different parts of the country , demanded of the authorities concerned to make the facility more proactive.

The citizens have mixed views about one window operation at CFC and a senior citizen Manzoor Hussain from Mian Channu while speaking to the media said, "I came here a night earlier as token is distributed  at dawn .There is no facility to counter extreme cold weather as people wait in a queue under open sky."He demanded that more facilitation centers should be established in major cities to facilitate people who were forced to travel long distances.

A female resident of Islamabad, who arrived for issuance of domicile, complained about the non-availability of dedicated space for ladies. She however expressed satisfaction over other facilities available at CFC. Ghulam Hussain, a visitor appreciated the automated system  to deal with clients and said availability of all services at one facility helped save precious time.An official from CFC said the centre was providing proper sitting facility to the people but lack of workforce was causing delay in its work.He said the centre needed more computers and staff for fast service to the people.

The official said one of the problems was that a majority of the people come for renewal of their licences when their validity ends causing sudden rush, adding on normal days, only 15 to 20 visitors come to the centres.

Nowadays about 100 people visit the facility for renewal of their licences which caused complaints.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 28^th, 2018.