MUZAFFARABAD: The federal ombudsman (Wafaqi Mohtasib) Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi on Wednesday asked the heads of federal agencies in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) to ensure the speedy resolution of public complaints in the region.

He issued this directive at the inaugural ceremony of the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s regional office in Muzaffarabad.

He asserted that the regional office was continuously reaching out to the public, resulting in an increasing number of people contacting it to address their grievances.

The outgoing year, 2024, he said, witnessed a record increase in the receipt and disposal of complaints.

Sharing figures, the federal ombudsman said that his secretariat had received 226,372 complaints in the previous year, out of which 223,171 were disposed of, reflecting a 17pc increase in receipt and a 16pc increase in disposal compared to 2023.

“Our investigating officers traveled across the country and held Khuli Katcheries (open courts where citizens can voice their grievances) to dispense administrative justice at the doorsteps of the people,” he said, claiming that his office was truly a ‘poor man’s court’.

He informed that with the opening of regional offices in Muzaffarabad and Gilgit, the institution’s presence had stretched to 24 cities across the country.

More regional offices were expected to open later this year, he added.

The inaugural ceremony was attended by senior officials from AJK, along with the heads of federal agencies, members of civil society, and the media.

Later, speaking at a press conference, he lauded the constructive role played by the media and said it remained instrumental in raising public awareness about the availability of this useful forum for the prompt redress of public complaints.

Mr Qureshi invited the media to continue supporting the institution in enhancing awareness for the general good of the people at large.

Published in Dawn, January 23rd, 2025