Call made to analyse causes of maladministration

PESHAWAR: Provincial Ombudsman, Syed Jamal Up Din Shah, has underlined the importance of analyzing the causes of maladministration in the government departments and reports filed and shared with the relevant quarters as that would help the public ultimately.

“Analyzing the causes of maladministration and preparing reports with suggestions will improve the working environment there,” a communication quoted him as having said this while speaking at a monthly review meeting at the KP Ombudsman Secretariat.

He said these reports were intended to assist departmental heads in enhancing service delivery for the greater public interest.The ombudsman reaffirmed the office’s commitment to addressing public grievances and complaints related to maladministration by government departments and agencies.

Shah said that the complaint lodging process at the Provincial Ombudsman Secretariat had been simplified to make it more accessible for citizens.He instructed the Implementation Section to compile a fresh list of unresolved cases and coordinate with the Law secretary to streamline the system and eliminate obstacles to case resolution.

The ombudsman noted that many complaints against government departments had common issues, suggesting that remedies should be discussed collectively by investigative officers to expedite the resolution.

Earlier, a detailed review was made of the August activities. The ombudsman observed that case disposal was a bit slow and urged investigation officers to expedite the process.He set a target for all officers, advisers, and consultants to improve performance throughout 2024, stressing the need for collective effort in this regard.

The role of the Media Cell was praised, and it was directed to launch an awareness campaign at the regional level.The ombudsman recommended displaying advertisements about the office’s aims and objectives on the BRT buses and at their terminals to guide the public to turn to the office for complaint addressal. “People should be informed about the Ombudsman Secretariat’s role and the free nature of its services,” he stressed.

Reports from the deputy registrars of regional offices in Abbottabad, Swat, and Dera Ismail Khan were discussed. All three offices were successfully conducting awareness-raising campaigns, including seminars and meetings with local officials and elders.

The Ombudsman called for a meeting of regional Ombudsmen offices staff and called for fixing a date to finalize the programme.He commended the KP government for strengthening the Ombudsman Secretariat through amendments to the 2010 Act, which had enhanced the implementation powers and thus the institutional capacity.