BackWafaqi Mohtasib Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi visited Peshawar on 18th August to hold a number of important meetings which included a review of the working of the WMS Peshawar Regional Office, chaired a meeting with the Chief Secretary to monitor the pace of Jails Reforms, and attended a luncheon meeting with prominent Editors and media personalities.
Wafaqi Mohtasib appreciated the good work of the Peshawar Office as there was a major increase in the disposal of public complaints. He advised them to ensure prompt and sympathetic response to the citizens who came to the office for redressal of their grievances. He underlined the need for good governance practices at all levels including investigation and implementation. He noted that the hundreds of cases under Informal resolution of disputes are being disposed of and the public was been provided with due relief.
While chairing a meeting on Jail Reforms along with Chief Secretary KPK, he appreciated the improvements and progress in a number of areas of the report on Jail Reforms under the direction of the Supreme Court. It was decided in the meeting that two important sub-committees will be formed. One under the chairmanship of the Additional Chief Secretary to speed up the infrastructure development and the other under the chairmanship of the Secretary Home and Prison to streamline and improve operational activities. These committees will meet on a monthly basis and submit progress reports to Chief Secretary.
The meeting was attended by Provincial Ombudsman KPK Syed Jamalud Din Shah, IG KPK, IG Prisons, Home Secretary, DG Prosecution, and senior representative of Advocate General and health departments. The oversight committees were working efficiently at the provincial and district levels. Capacity in various jails had improved, reducing the overcrowding to half-from 12% to 6%. It was noted that market-based skills should be imparted to prisoners by way of rehabilitation. Separate rooms for transgenders had been arranged in 07 major prisons of the province, it was an important development.
Wafaqi Mohtasib advised that philanthropists should be associated with the task of improvements in jails as has been done in past. IG Prisons will liaison with the Chamber of Commerce and the business community.
In the interaction with the media personalities, Wafaqi Mohtasib explained some new initiatives being undertaken to expand the services in far-flung areas including Merged Districts (FATA Agencies). He appreciated their cooperation in the awareness campaign which had yielded a 34% increase in the number of complaints and their disposal.
Source: Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman) Secretariat, Pakistan
