Federal Ombudsman Secretariat Opens Regional Office in Azad Kashmir
In a significant move, the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat has inaugurated its regional office in Azad Jammu and Kashmir, a step widely welcomed by local citizens. The inauguration ceremony, held in the capital city Muzaffarabad, was led by Federal Ombudsman Ijaz Ahmad Qureshi on Wednesday.
Speaking at the event, Qureshi highlighted that with the establishment of regional offices in Muzaffarabad and Gilgit, the Ombudsman office is now operating in 24 cities across the country, providing essential services to the public. He also mentioned that additional offices would be opened in remote areas of the country later this year to further expand the reach of the institution.
He urged federal government officials in Azad Kashmir to prioritize the immediate resolution of complaints from the poor and underprivileged sectors of society. Qureshi further stated that due to the continuous expansion of the Federal Ombudsman’s reach, the number of public complaints addressed in 2024 had set a new record. In 2023, the Ombudsman received 226,371 complaints and resolved 223,171, which marked a 16% increase compared to the previous year. Additionally, 93% of these decisions were successfully implemented.
The Federal Ombudsman also emphasized the importance of investigation officers traveling to remote areas to hold open hearings, ensuring that justice is delivered directly to the doorstep of the public. He referred to the Ombudsman office as a “court for the poor” aimed at addressing grievances of the marginalized and disadvantaged sections of society.
Earlier, Qureshi presided over a meeting with heads of federal government departments in Azad Jammu and Kashmir. The session was attended by Director General of the Ombudsman Secretariat Ashfaq Ahmad Khan, Commissioner IRD Regional Azad Kashmir Mansoor Qadir Dar, and senior officials from various federal institutions under the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction.
During the meeting, Qureshi urged the officials to make all efforts to resolve the complaints of the poor and address their grievances swiftly.
Local resident Zafir Rathore from Muzaffarabad, in an interview with V News, expressed that the establishment of the Ombudsman’s regional office in Azad Kashmir would benefit the people greatly. He mentioned that the prevalent culture of nepotism in the region had previously hindered the delivery of justice, and the new office in Muzaffarabad would help alleviate these issues.
Political leader and legal expert Majid Awan also spoke to V News, noting that the establishment of the office in Muzaffarabad would provide much-needed relief to the public, especially in resolving legal disputes. Awan pointed out that while there was an existing Ombudsman office in Azad Kashmir, the opening of a regional office at an international level was crucial, especially since India had raised objections to such representation in the past.
