Islamabad, July 15 – Wafaqi Mohtasib Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, President of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), inaugurated a webinar today on the role of ombudsmanship in advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The event was jointly organized by the Asian Ombudsman Association and the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Qureshi emphasized the alignment between the principles of ombudsmanship and the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. He stated that institutions of the ombudsman play a vital role in promoting rule of law, human rights, and efficient public service delivery core components of the SDGs.
Highlighting the expanded mandate of the Wafaqi Mohtasib, Mr. Qureshi noted that the office not only addresses public grievances but also investigates root causes of maladministration, bad governance, and discriminatory practices. He shared that 80 studies have been conducted by the office, leading to meaningful long-term reforms. Inspection visits to frequently complained against public agencies have further improved service quality and encouraged a culture of fairness and accountability.
Dr. Ashfaque Hasan Khan, Director General of the National Institute of Policy Studies at NUST, delivered the keynote address. He emphasized that citizens are the ultimate stakeholders in development and called for stronger collaboration between ombudsman institutions and UN agencies to realize shared goals.
The webinar was attended by over a hundred participants, including representatives from the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA), the OIC Ombudsman Association (OICOA), the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman (FPO), academia, and civil society from Pakistan and abroad.
