Action against malpractices essential to make Pakistan reflective of Quaid’s vision: Faisal Zahid Malik
Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch has unveiled a comprehensive vision to transform the institution of the Wafaqi Mohtasib into a more transparent, accessible, technology-driven and people-centric platform for redressing public grievances, reaffirming its role as a strong shield against corruption, maladministration and abuse of authority in public institutions.
He expressed these views while talking to Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistan Observer, Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik, who called on him at his office here Wednesday. Chief of Digital Media, Pakistan Observer, Mr. Saud Faisal Malik, and Head of Pakistan Observer’s Social Media Team Mr. Ebraheem Malik, also accompanied Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik during the meeting.
At the outset, Mr. Faisal Zahid Malik congratulated Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch on assuming the charge of the august office of the Federal Ombudsman and expressed confidence that under his leadership, the institution would play an even more dynamic role in addressing public grievances relating to various government departments and public sector entities.
During the meeting, Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch particularly highlighted the critical role of responsible media in promoting transparency, strengthening democratic institutions and exposing corruption in the country.
“The role of media is extremely important in ensuring transparency, accountability and exposing corruption in society,” he observed. He paid rich tributes to Pakistan Observer, describing it as a custodian of pro-Pakistan values, national interests and principled journalism, while recalling the noble standards established by its founder and Editor-in-Chief, late Mr. Zahid Malik.
Mr Faisal Zahid Malik assured the Wafaqi Mohtasib all out support in its endeavours to eliminate departmental corruption and bad governance. We want to see Pakistan a progressing country in accordance with the vision of the Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, he said.
Mr. Baloch while expressing gratitude to the team Pakistan Observer said the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib, owing to its constitutional mandate served as a vital institution for administrative justice and protection of citizens’ rights. Briefing the Pakistan Observer team about the institution’s performance, he said the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat disposed of more than 200,000 complaints during the outgoing year relating to a wide range of federal government departments and organizations.
“We are trying our best to make the office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib more effective, efficient and result-oriented,” he said, adding that his vision is to ensure that every citizen, regardless of location or social background, can access swift and affordable justice. He said nearly 45 percent of complaints were lodged through online platforms, reflecting growing public confidence in digital complaint mechanisms introduced by the institution. He added that digital registration, online monitoring and virtual hearings have significantly accelerated the disposal of grievances and enhanced transparency in proceedings.
Highlighting services for overseas Pakistanis, Mr. Baloch said Pakistanis living abroad can lodge their complaints through dedicated Complaint Commissioners, adding that more than 137,000 complaints were resolved during the past year through this mechanism. He said the institution also remains committed to protecting vulnerable segments of society, including children, adding that 683 complaints relating to children were successfully resolved during the same period.
For citizens living in villages, far-flung regions and remote areas, he said officers of the Wafaqi Mohtasib conducted 166 open courts across the country, where complaints were heard on the spot and orders issued then and there, saving people from unnecessary travel, expenses and procedural delays. He said one of the key priorities of his administration is the revitalization of regional offices of the Wafaqi Mohtasib so that citizens can seek justice closer to their homes rather than traveling to provincial capitals or Islamabad.
Mr. Baloch noted that the bulk of complaints received by the Ombudsman’s office relate to departments including the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development, Ministry of National Health Services, Ministry of Housing and Works, National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA), Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Pakistan Post, Employees Old-Age Benefits Institution (EOBI), utility agencies and pension-related departments. Describing the Ombudsman’s office as a shield against corruption and administrative excesses, he said teams of the Wafaqi Mohtasib conducted around 43 inspection visits to various government departments during the last year and submitted recommendations for institutional improvement, restructuring and better service delivery.
Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch, a seasoned retired bureaucrat with vast experience in Pakistan’s civil service, has served the country in several key positions, including Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Finance Secretary and Secretary Cabinet Division. Drawing upon decades of administrative experience, he said his mission is to build a responsive, proactive and citizen-friendly Ombudsman institution capable of delivering timely justice to every Pakistani. He reiterated that public awareness campaigns through print, electronic, digital and social media would continue to be expanded so that citizens across the country become fully aware of their rights and the services offered by the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat. “Justice delayed is justice denied, and our mission is to ensure that every citizen receives prompt, fair and affordable administrative justice,” he concluded.
