Reaching out: Mohtasib to address complaints at tehsil levels

Sources say joint teams of Mohtasib offices would visit districts to reach more complainants

ISLAMABAD: The federal ombudsman (Wafaqi Mohtasib) is considering a proposal to hear public complaints at district and tehsil levels across the country, the Express Investigation Cell revealed on Monday. The move is intended to facilitate the complainants and litigants “at their door-steps” for provision of instant and cheap justice regarding any maladministration or misconduct of government departments or officials.

Sources informed the investigation cell that a proposal to extend the network of Wafaqi Mohtasib to the district and tehsil levels is in final stages, and a high level advisory committee has been set up for the matter. The committee includes prominent figures from all segments of society including activist Asma Jehangir, former president Wasim Sajjad, ex-law minister Farooq H Naek and former senior bureaucrat Saeed Mehdi.



Under the proposed plan, joint teams of the officials of Wafaqi Mohtasib and Provincial Mohtasib offices will be formed which will visit district headquarters in coordination with district administrations. Main objective of the plan is to benefit the complainants in far-flung and remote areas to redress their issues.

The recommendations of this committee will be forwarded to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif for approval, who may present the proposal to the Council of Common Interests in order to take consent of all provincial stakeholders, sources added.

When contacted, senior adviser on law at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat Hafiz Ahsan Khokhar confirmed that a proposal in this regard is under consideration, which, upon approval, will be implemented to redress public complaints. He said the Wafaqi Mohtasib is already providing cheap and speedy justice to people by resolving their problems in a few weeks’ time. “The next step [for the ombudsman] is to reach out to the people at their door-step and remove their grievances,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2015.