PAKISTAN | Provincial Ombudsman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa successfully conducted second awareness campaign

After successfully conducting the first phase of awareness campaign under the IOI regional subsidy project, the IOI General Secretariat has extended the said project further under the IOI regional subsidy project and granted a subsidy grant worth 2,667/-€. A detailed plan of different activities was prepared for the proper utilization of this grant/amount. In order to conduct the awareness campaign successfully and to utilize the subsidy grant as per agreement, the 2nd phase of awareness campaign was arranged in the following districts:

Awareness Campaign as well as informing the public about newly established Regional Office at District D.I.Khan.

1. Live program at Pakhtunkhwa Radio Station 92 Peshawar.
2. Awareness Campaign and Inaugural Ceremony of Regional Office, District Swat Malakand Region, consisting of 09 Districts.
3. Awareness campaign in District Dir (Lower) – far-flung Backward Areas).
4. Awareness campaign in District Khyber (Newly Merged District).
5. Awareness Campaign (Special Session for Nazimeen (Mayor)- elected public representatives at grass root level of governance) PUTA Hall University of Peshawar, Peshawar Division.

In this second phase of the awareness campaign project, five backward districts including 01 NMD (Newly Merged District) of the province i.e District Khyber were visited. One important aspect of this phase was that 02 new regional offices were inaugurated, one in district D.I.Khan and the other in District Swat. In order to deliver the message of Ombudsman at gross root level of the public, one special session was arranged for Nazimeen (Mayor)- elected public representatives. In each and every awareness secession, the following activities were performed:

• Large size Panaflexes with IOI Monogram were displayed on the wall of the Hall both inside and outside.
• Brochures and informative materials were distributed amongst the audience.
• Speeches were delivered about the aim and objectives of the awareness campaign.
• Public was informed about the purpose of the visit as well as opening of new regional office at District D.I.Khan and Swat. They were also informed about how to lodge a complaint, role and mandate of the Ombudsman Institution in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in dispensation of administrative justice.
• Letters of thanks for redressal of grievances received from aggrieved persons were shared amongst the audience.
• Question / answer session was conducted.
• At the end of the awareness session, Honour shields were presented by the Ombudsman to the guests attending the awareness campaign session.

Furthermore, the Hon'ble Provincial Ombudsman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa along with Media Team also visited Pakhtunkhwa Radio Station at Peshawar on 03/08/2023 regarding an awareness campaign to the general public about the role and responsibilities of the Ombudsman Institution. The Ombudsman, in a live programme, briefed the public that administrative accountability and prevention of abuse of authority is pivotal to good governance. Public servants are accountable for performance of their official duties. It is the constitutional right of every citizen to file complaint in this office against the injustice or misuse of power and authority by a government functionary. It is our commitment to deliver free of cost, speedy justice in a manner that is impartial, fair and equitable. Ombudsman said that during six month 2000 complaints were registered, which is the maximum number of complaints. This achievement is due to the provision of subsidy grant by the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) for the awareness campaign to general public of the province. Through this awareness session an attempt is being made to provide information on how to contact this office through different means and how an aggrieved person can be helped.

BENEFITS FROM THE SECOND PHASE OF THE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN PROJECT UNDER THE IOI REGIONAL SUBSIDY PROGRAM (2020-2021).

In order to utilize the funds granted by the IOI in second phase of the project under IOI subsidy project (2020-2021), the same strategy as in the first phase was adopted, so as to obtain maximum benefit from the campaign. Having limited financial resources, this Institution achieved maximum targets by visiting 05 backward districts including 01 NMD (Newly Merged District) of the Province. However, there are 24 districts still to be visited. The results achieved from the second phase of the IOI regional subsidy project are indicated as below:

Source: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Ombudsman, Pakistan