Year 2017: Ombudsman received 83,457 complaints

Majority of the complaints were against gas, power companies

ISLAMABAD: The Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has received a total of 83,457 public complaints during 2017, out of which 55,289 were against gas and electricity companies.

According to the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) Secretariat’s Annual Report-2017, the secretariat has received and disposed of the highest number of public complaints during the previous year than all preceding years.

The annual report which was presented to the President of Pakistan Mamnoon Hussian earlier in March was shared with the media on Monday. It reveals that out of all the grievances, 28,168 were lodged against NADRA, Pakistan Post, Allama Iqbal Open University, State Life Insurance Corporation and Employees Old Age Benefits Institution.

The report also discloses that out of the total number of public complaints lodged with the federal ombudsman against federal agencies, ombudsman Syed Tahir Shahbaz has resolved 78,560 of them.

Furthermore, the report says that majority of the complaints against gas and electricity were related to human error in billing, delay in providing and shifting meters, delay in installation of transformers and poles, restoration of electricity, and delay in issuance of demand notices.



For gas companies, major causes of complaints were delay in providing connection, incorrect billing, inadequate supply of gas and delay in replacement of defective meters.

Interestingly, only 1,083 review petitions were filed against the findings of Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) while less than 1% representations were submitted to the president against decisions of the ombudsman during this period, while the implementation ratio of the decisions was 96%.

Pension cases

Streamlining of pension payment process has been one of the major initiatives of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) and implementation of all recommendations was vigorously pursued as a result of which, pension cases of government employees have been nearly eliminated, with 99% of pension cases settled.

Prison Reforms

The implementation of the Prison Reforms Committee report containing recommendations for improving the conditions of women and children, received special attention during the year and a number of steps were taken for improving the existing environment for women and child detainees. Measures to set up educational facilities within the jail premises and improve food and living were also taken this year.



Complaints of people living in Far-flung areas

The advisers during the year visited far-flung areas of 24 districts to hear complaints and decided 3,759 cases within 25 to 40 days at the complainants’ doorstep. The initiative of dispensing speedy and inexpensive justice to the common man at his doorstep has been widely appreciated.

Overseas Pakistanis

Similarly, for resolving problems faced by overseas Pakistanis several steps in coordination with the Pakistani Missions abroad and relevant ministries were taken for the application of recommendations made to the agencies concerned.