Accountability, Transparency and Integrity to Prevail in Govt. offices, claims Mohtasib office

October 19, Islamabad – “Only 37,000 complains were received last year by the Wafaqi Mohtasib which is very less as compared to the total population of Pakistan. That being a conscious citizen one should speak out to get one’s right. One should knock every door to get justice.” Said Ms. Manizeh Bano, the Executive Director of Sahil, a non-government organization based in Islamabad, at a one-day seminar on ‘Redressing Public grievances through Wafaqi Mohtasib offices’ at Islamabad hotel.

The seminar, an attempt to encourage and aware the ordinary citizens to highlight the issues of corruption and bribery before Wafaqi Mohtasib, was organized in collaboration with UNDP, SPGRM and Sahil Islamabad. Besides spreading awareness about how to overcome the routine issues faced by common people in govt. offices, the purpose of the seminar was also to highlight the competent body’s quick, free and easy system of addressing the vows against federal agencies.

Mr. A.R. Abid, Additional Secretary Wafaqi Mohtasib’s Secretariat, Islamabad talked about good governance and the Roles and Services provided by the Wafaqi Mohtasib. He elaborated that good governance depended on pious and honest leadership. Adding up to his comments, he said that there was no further forum in Pakistan where complaints could be resolved with this efficiency and speed.

Sharing the details, he said that any complainant could launch a complaint written on a plane paper and could send it to the office of the ombudsman. Or, he said, complaints could also be launched via universal number and via email. He said that all the complaints in the Mohtasib’s office were registered and acknowledged within 24 hours, while the issues were addressed within no later than three months’ time.

Talking about how media could play its role in spreading awareness among the masses for highlighting the Mohtasib’s role in eradicating mal government, Mr. Safeer Hussain, the editor of the monthly Legal Views, said that it was high time media had played its role in spreading word about condemning the corruption in government offices and directing the masses towards the right forum which could eradicate the menace.

The seminar, chaired by Senator S.M Zafar, also witnessed the attendance of a large number of journalists, representatives of federal agencies like SNGPL, State Life, Railways, Motorway Police and the representatives of several NGOs.

Posted by on Oct 19 2011. Filed under Pakistan. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry