The two-day workshop is being held online through the platform of the AOA, whose permanent secretariat is located in Islamabad at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat.
Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, the Federal Ombudsman, opened an international workshop on the role of integrated computer technologies (ICT) in the public grievance redressal system on Wednesday. The two-day workshop is being held online through the platform of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), whose permanent secretariat is located in Islamabad at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat.
Qureshi currently serves as President of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA). The workshop has 43 participants from China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macau, Malaysia, Thailand, Turkey, and Uzbekistan, as well as provincial ombudsman institutions from Sindh, KP, the Federal Tax Ombudsman, and Banking Mohtasib Pakistan.
The head of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir Ombudsman institution is also attending the workshop. Ejaz Ahmad, addressing the participants, said that the prompt and efficient disposal of complaints is of critical importance in the dispensation of justice.
The use of ICT is critical to maintaining a credible, transparent, effective, and efficient mechanism to maintain public trust. He went on to say that the use of computer technologies in any field of human endeavour necessitated regular upgrades, R&D, and adaptation in response to emerging needs.
In January of next year, the Federal Ombudsman’s institution in Pakistan will celebrate its fortieth anniversary. Over the course of its long history, it has established itself as an effective tool for providing people with quick and low-cost justice, having handled over 1.8 million complaints since its inception.
In addition to the Head Office in Islamabad, 18 regional offices in various parts of the country carry out their statutory duties. Two complaint collection centres were recently opened at Wana, South Waziristan, and Sadda, Kurram Agency.
The Federal Ombudsman’s office has perfected its complaint handling mechanism over the years, which includes investigation, appraisal, review, and decision implementation. It is now fully capable of resolving large numbers of complaints of maladministration, including by reaching out to complainants and holding public hearings at their homes, engaging in informal dispute resolution, inspecting agencies to improve service delivery, and conducting research into the root causes of maladministration.
It has conducted over 27 studies on systemic issues that are the source of persistent complaints. Qureshi emphasised the impact of ICT on the work of the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s institution in Pakistan, saying that the scope and magnitude of its work have grown exponentially over the last forty years.
The Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat was able to successfully meet these increasing demands by utilising cutting-edge IT tools and regularly upgrading the grievance redressal system. Internally, the IT Wing created a number of modules to meet the specific needs of the complainants as well as the needs of federal agencies in maintaining a transparent and credible interface with them.