(Publish from Houston Texas USA)
(Zafar Chishti, Bureau Chief Punjab)
Faisalabad: A prestigious ceremony was held at the Federal Ombudsman Regional Secretariat Faisalabad to mark the completion of 43 years of the institution. The event began with the cutting of the anniversary cake by the In-Charge, Deputy Registrar and Investigation Officer of the Federal Ombudsman Regional Secretariat Faisalabad.On this occasion, the In-Charge read out the message of Federal Ombudsman Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, in which he stated that the institution of the Federal Ombudsman serves as a strong shield against maladministration in government departments. He said that on January 24, 2026, the Federal Ombudsman completed its 43-year journey, playing a key role in promoting transparency and establishing an efficient and corruption-free administrative system in Pakistan.He added that the Federal Ombudsman has not only helped eliminate maladministration but has also contributed significantly to improving the performance of government institutions. The initiatives of the Federal Ombudsman are an important part of the national agenda to promote transparency and accountability.
According to the message, since its establishment, the Federal Ombudsman has provided justice to nearly 2.6 million citizens, resulting in indirect relief to about 2.6 million families. During the year 2025, a total of 261,101 complaints were decided with an implementation rate of 96.8 percent. Moreover, 91 percent of decisions were finalized within the prescribed period of 60 days.The Federal Ombudsman also resolved 137,152 issues of overseas Pakistanis in 2025. Under the initiatives of 166 open courts (Khuli Kacheris) and 232 Outreach Complaint Resolution (OCR) programs, thousands of complainants were provided justice near their doorsteps. Furthermore, under the Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD) program, 7,356 complaints were settled.It was further stated that during 2025, the Federal Ombudsman provided relief to more than 400,000 complainants and issued free decisions worth Rs. 10.2 billion. The Federal Ombudsman continues to function as a “people’s court” for resolving complaints against government institutions and improving governance.Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi also informed that separate Complaint Commissioners are working for overseas Pakistanis and children. He emphasized that any citizen can lodge a complaint against maladministration in federal government institutions. Complaints are decided within 60 days and no fee or lawyer is required for filing a case.He urged citizens to contact the Federal Ombudsman through the helpline 1055 for general complaints and 1056 for children’s complaints. Complaints can also be submitted from home via post, email, mobile application or online portal.The ceremony was attended by officers and staff of the Federal Ombudsman Regional Secretariat Faisalabad as well as media representatives.
