KARACHI, July 11: The Sindh Ombudsman office has provided relief to 435 people who had submitted their complaints against various departments of the city district and provincial governments during the last six months.According to details collected from the Ombudsman Secretariat, 740 complaints were received in June alone.

Some 468 complaints were received in the head office, nine through the regional office of Karachi Central, 20 through the regional office of Karachi East, 64 through the regional office of Hyderabad, 67 through the Mirpurkhas office, 17 through the Nawabshah office,

13 through Naushahro Feroze office, 40 through Larkana office, 68 through Sukkur office, nine through Badin office.

It was reported that of a total of 3,561 complaints, 326 were rejected as they were not fulfilling the requirements given in the Ombudsman Act and 762 were decided on merit as per rules.

Registrar Masood Ishrat of Sindh Ombudsman Secretariat told Dawn that cases were admitted for disposal only with proofs, and cases under trial in other courts were not accepted.

He said nine regional offices were functioning in various parts of the province while four new offices — at Thatta, Jacobabad, Mitti, and Naushahro Feroze — would be established within a couple of months, adding that Naushehro Feroze would get an independent regional office.

With the opening of new office, he said, people would be able to get justice at their doorsteps and in the shortest possible time.

Media Consultant Hasan Rizvi said that most of the public complaints were received against police and officials of the irrigation and revenue departments as well as the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board. He said complaints against the education department and the city district government were also common.

Mr Rizvi said there was no need for hiring a counsel and the parties themselves could plead their cases by providing all the relevant documents and proofs regarding their complaints.

The minimum period for disposal of the cases, he said, was 15 days and the maximum three months.