THE prime minister has introduced Pakistan Citizen Portal to redress grievances of the common man. It is a bold and praiseworthy step. Its effectiveness depends if a complaint is referred to the organisation concerned and it is monitored.

I sent suggestions and complaints relating to the constitution of an information commission under the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 and location of its offices. My suggestions also included extending the scope of Federal Services Tribunal to the employees of federal government corporations/organisations, filling the vacancy of State Life Insurance Corporation of Pakistan chairman, and delays by State Life in allowing the increase in pensions mandatory under the pension regulations.

The complaint numbers were allotted as SD111118-0260038, SD111118-0262171, SD151118-0296519 and SD141118-0283069 respectively.

One praiseworthy feature of this portal is that a complainant can track the complaint. I found that all the complaints, which related to federal government, have been referred to the Sindh chief secretary who has nothing to do with these cases.

Those officers who are looking after the complaints and suggestions should be sufficiently trained to guide the complaints and complainants so that the system works efficiently.

Asim S.M. Khan

Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2018