Muzaffarabad: Under the commitment to provide the public with free, prompt, and effective justice, an open court was held at the Ombudsman Secretariat, Azad Jammu & Kashmir, in which complaints from citizens of District Muzaffarabad were heard individually, with orders issued on the spot for their redressal.
Ombudsman AJK, Muhammad Arif Khan Rathore, directed officers of concerned departments including Electricity, Board of Revenue, Development Authority Muzaffarabad, Local Government, Public Works, Public Health, Highway Maintenance, Forestry, and Agriculture to ensure prompt redressal and effective implementation of orders, while also seeking compliance reports.
Expressing displeasure over unnecessary delays in addressing complaints, the Ombudsman stated firmly that no obstruction or delaying tactics would be tolerated, and that disciplinary action would be taken against officers hindering complaint redressal.
He also announced the establishment of Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD) within the institution, enabling informal, mutually agreed resolution of complaints.
Complainants praised the institution, calling it “their own advocate,” and cited resolved issues including clean water supply, restoration of streetlights, solid waste management, removal of stray dogs, relocation of electricity lines, and correction of electricity bills. The event was covered extensively by PTV, AJK TV, and various print and electronic media outlets.
