Senate introduces landmark public-complaint system for citizens

E-Paper | April 30, 2026

ISLAMABAD: Senate introduced a landmark 'public-petition system' on Tuesday, under which citizens can mail complaints pertaining to public sector departments directly to the Parliament's Upper House.

The system, inaugurated by Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani at a simple ceremony held at Parliament House, allows citizens to make complaints via email and snail mail.

"There is [a] proper cell established to deal with the complaints which would also give [a] tracking number to the complainant for follow up", Senate Secretary Amjad Pervez said in his opening remarks.

Leader Of the Opposition in the Upper House, Aitzaz Ahsan, and Senator Raja Zafarul Haq welcomed the move, saying it would help resolve complex public issues.

Senate Deputy Chairman Abdul Ghafoor Haideri highlighted the role of Senate in the parliamentary system, but said the Upper House still lacked key powers.

Senate chief Raza Rabbani, speaking on the occasion, said the newly-introduced mechanism would restore the majesty and transparency of the parliamentary system.

He said the move was part of a process of greater reforms, and that similar initiatives would be taken in the future.

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Khalid

Apr 28, 2015 05:57pm

And what are they going to achieve?. Not one person in Pakistan believes this will help anyone except the people who will be employed without merit and on "parchi". Please save the hassle.

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rkc

Apr 28, 2015 06:12pm

Excellent work!

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abdul raphay

Apr 28, 2015 06:13pm

i dont beleive in pakistan public issues will be given due attention like this,,,,,,,,and things will be done if there is power ,approach,,sources ,,this is our culture in pakistan,,and we love our culture more than our mothers

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haris

Apr 28, 2015 06:23pm

Senate chief: Raza Rabbani from PPP Leader of Opposition in Senate: Aitazaz Ahsan from PPP. This only happens in Pakistan!

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jogi

Apr 28, 2015 06:26pm

then whats the website or contact??

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SadFace

Apr 28, 2015 06:39pm

We need an audit system in all government sectors, not petty complaint systems.

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Awais Ali

Apr 28, 2015 06:44pm

Senate is doing something? Hard to believe it.

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MyCry

Apr 28, 2015 06:45pm

OK then what after receiving the complaints. Are they going to go after executive branch to get the job done? Why cannot in Pakistan everybody understand their own role? Senate and NA are legislative bodies, not meant for "my street lamp doesn't work". For that kind of work there are other departments that exist. If those departments do not exist then those should be fixed. Just because it is also circular, I cannot put my steering wheel in place of a punctured tire and then hope the car will run smooth.

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Sandhu

Apr 28, 2015 06:47pm

So 1st complain is Why senator come through horse-trading?

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Fahd Siddiqui

Apr 28, 2015 06:48pm

@jogi Dawn should post the email and postal address. Or google it!

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Factual

Apr 28, 2015 06:55pm

Woaaah! Is this what Senate has come down to? Why not monitor high government officials and hold them accountable if their department is not performing? Do they expect to listen to complaints of 200 million people? Don't they have more important things like policy making etc etc?

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Haroon

Apr 28, 2015 07:06pm

Why they can not make the current system functional instead of introducing new systems. Most of the email addresses and phone numbers of the government departments, mentioned on their respective websites, are out of order.

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Fahad Ishaq

Apr 28, 2015 07:55pm

What they are going to help us with. I really don't understand. It has been over 02 months that i had opened a ticket at NADRA Complaint Management System but their professionalism is so high that they have not replied yet.

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F A K Rao

Apr 28, 2015 08:34pm

What will be procedure to address the public complaint or representation in the senate, it is required to be elaborated. News is incomplete to comment. In House of Common public petition on any issue of public importance is debated if that is signed by more than one hundred thousand people.

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Kashif Ahmad

Apr 28, 2015 08:42pm

What is the email address to which any complaint could be filed

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Apr 28, 2015 08:44pm

Email address tu de do bahi

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Jalaluddin S. Hussain

Apr 28, 2015 09:30pm

Excellent! But please do something to control the deteriorating law and order situation in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore, particularly. Thanks.

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syed wasim haider

Apr 28, 2015 10:04pm

Attention: Mr. Raza Rabbani and MR. Aitazaz Hassan Kindly see the videos of different TV programs which elobarate the real public issues such as slaughter houses corruption, Gutka mafia, land mafia,Medicine mafia, mixing of toxic materials in food especially milk.Just Ask TV Channels to provide the copies of their programs on these issues. This will be greatest services for the common people of Pakistan.

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Khanm

Apr 28, 2015 10:38pm

One thing I have learnt while I was living in Pakistan. If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain cos no one listens and no one cares

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TKhan

Apr 29, 2015 12:17am

My first complain, how come no one is listening to Zulfiqar Mirza?

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Wasim

Apr 29, 2015 01:17am

They are trying to follow PTI initiatives. Before PTI no one ever talked about senate horse trading, no one ever introduced technology to solve problems. Obviously change has come

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Junaid

Apr 29, 2015 01:41am

No matter what system you build , it will not work until you have a will to do it and have honest people working. We have none of the above. Therefore, I can predict already, it will fail. After 60 years we have just figured out the name / title of the system, while public complaints are overflowing in every direction except to the ears of office holders.

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BNS

Apr 29, 2015 04:11am

Good initiative, but what/where is the process or email address?

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iqbal

Apr 29, 2015 07:37am

Excellent step.....now implementation will make it perfect.

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khan

Apr 29, 2015 09:26am

' snail mail' says it all !!!

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Dr Khan

Apr 29, 2015 09:33am

Test case for SENATE.According to current laws smoking is banned at public places,why the law is not being implemented?

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munsif

Apr 29, 2015 10:00am

previously there was also an information such as this one, that parliament can hear public complaints, I sent the complaint against ZTBL,regarding termination of my service, but no reply turned up. so lets see what they do, if the prime minister secretariate, federal ombudsman, and federal service tribunal could not do anything.

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Tanveer

Apr 29, 2015 10:12am

Anyone who thinks these leaders are not aware of our problems??????

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Hansi

Apr 29, 2015 10:26am

Seems the August house has no other useful business. Please wind up Mohtasib office first.

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ahmed tunio

Apr 29, 2015 10:52am

Plz share the link Of complaint cell

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Naseer

Apr 29, 2015 11:39am

First of all these senators they don't listen to each other, how cum they address public complains. At the moment these senetors are busy in recovering the dollars they spent in horse trading they haven't got time for people. Complaint section means more currruption for purchasing new Chinese computers and system , let's see which senetors get the contract, and at last stop fooling with Pakistanis

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Aziz

Apr 29, 2015 11:42am

Senator Rabbani has launched a good initiative in complete earnest. The comments made are only indicative of the pessimisms that prevails there. An average Pakistani has no recourse to law, justice, education, health or any other amenities taken for granted in most countries. Launching a complaint system directly is certainly a good initiative but only the first one. The next step is to resolve the problems. This requires paradigm changes, resources and the latest know-how at all levels. If nothing happens as a result of the complaints then the level of pessimism and frustrations would increase further. It may be a good adage to quote here: "Only bite as much as you can chew".

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BABA DE KAMAQLANO

Apr 29, 2015 11:58am

Please entertain my first complaint. We want justice in Pakistan so that every citizen owns this country, feel proud of being Pakistani and see Pakistan as a welfare state. We want justice not only in the courts but justice in jobs, justice in distribution of resources, justice in equal opportunities in education,health and appointments in all national institutions and Justice in uplift schemes. The honorable senators may look into other fields of injustices and take steps to eradicate it. We can only progress if we follow a single point agenda of implementation of justice. A human being be treated as human being and not an animal or disposable material.

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