50pc increase in disposal of complaints received by ombudsman, president told.

ISLAMABAD -- The Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) of Pakistan has received 164,174 complaints in the year 2022 with 50 per cent increase in disposal rate.

This was mentioned to President Dr Arif Alvi by Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi, who on Friday presented an annual report of his office.

The FO received 164,174 cases last year against 110,398 in 2021. The FO, last year, disposed of 157,770 complaints as compared to 106,732 complaints in 2021 with an increase of 50 per cent.

During the meeting, President Alvi asked the FO to intensify its awareness campaign to inform people about its role in the provision of cost-effective justice against maladministration of federal government organisations.

Annual report stresses need for expanding reach of office to far-flung areas

The annual report-2022 of the institution emphasised on the need for strengthening the capacity of the FO and enhancing its reach to far-flung areas of the country to address grievances of the people at their doorsteps.

He said people suffering from excesses and injustices at the hands of the government's functionaries needed to be provided immediate relief.

Mr Qureshi told the president about the role of his office in providing justice to people against the maladministration of government organisations during the year 2022.

He said phenomenal growth in the number of complaints and swift disposal of cases showed that the people trusted the institution of Mohtasib that was providing them cost-effective justice.

One-window facilitation desks had been established at all international airports in Pakistan to address the grievances of overseas Pakistanis.

He said that 137,647 overseas Pakistanis had been facilitated by the agencies of the government, including National Database Registration Authority (Nadra), passport office and Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) during 2022.

The president said the FO had extended its...