Gujranwala -UNS: Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi, has said that the business community and industrialists are the pillars of the country’s economy, who not only keep the wheels of the industry moving but also provide livelihood to a large number of people. He was speaking as the Chief Guest at a function organized by the Gujranwala Chamber of Commerce here today. It was attended by a large number of people belonging to the trade and industry.
Wafaqi Mohtasib said that the Federal Ombudsman’s Institution accords high priority to resolving the problems being faced by the business people and industrialists and is accessible to the business community on 24/7 basis for speedy resolution of their problems. He said that more than 200 federal government entities fall under Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, against whom more than 223,000 complaints were disposed of last year.
Earlier, the office bearers of the Chamber of Commerce, while welcoming the Wafaqi Mohtasib, apprised him of the ever increasing rates of gas and electricity, which they said were rendering their exports non-competitive in the global markets. They opined that if the issues and problems being faced by the business community are addressed on priority, it will give a big boost to the country in economic terms and would result in fast-paced development.
Wafaqi Mohtasib assured that the Federal Ombudsman’s institution would continue to play its role for resolution of issues being faced by them. He further added that on line complaints can also be lodged in the institution, which has 25 Regional Offices and Complaint Collection Centres. People living in the remote and far off areas of the country are availing themselves of these facilities since it does not require visiting the offices.
‘Nearly 99% of the complainants who approach our office belong to the poorest of the poor, who cannot afford to hire lawyers’, he added. He also observed that he would deal in accordance with the law whenever any complaint from the business community reaches his office. Later, he also presided over a meeting in the Regional Office Gujranwala, which was attended by the Press and Media in addition to the government officials. He briefed them on the key initiatives informing that the institution has received around 200,000 complaints so far and the total number of complaints may exceed 250,000 this year.
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