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Ms. Ayesha Hamid (Ombudsman Punjab), Mr. Kaiser Saleem (Secretary, Office of the Ombudsman Punjab) along with participants of the International Internship Programme 2026 Batch 3 and senior officers from the office pose for the group photo
Following the successful completion of the first two sessions, the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab hosted batch 3 of the International Internship Programme 2026 from 27–31 July 2026, welcoming three international participants from African Ombudsman institutions. The participants included Mr. Godfrey Lewanika, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, Office of the Public Protector, Zambia; Ms. Lwandisa Zaula, Outreach Coordinator, Public Protector South Africa; and Mr. Philani Mkize, Business Analyst, Public Protector South Africa.
Designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the institutional framework and operational practices of the office, the programme combined interactive sessions with practical field exposure. The internship commenced with welcome remarks by Ms. Ayesha Hamid, Ombudsman Punjab, and Mr. Kaiser Saleem, Secretary, followed by an overview of the Punjab Office of the Ombudsman Act, 1997 and the office's complaint management framework. Participants also visited the IT Wing for an exclusive demonstration of the ISO 9001:2015 Certified Quality Management System (QMS) and the Ombudsman Punjab Management Information System (OPMIS).
The programme further included technical sessions on the 1050 Helpline, public awareness campaigns, media strategy, and the Office's outreach initiatives. Participants also attended a workshop conducted by the Research & Development Wing featuring a comparative analysis between the Office of the Ombudsman Punjab and the participants' home institutions, promoting institutional learning and the exchange of international best practices.
As part of the practical learning component, the participants accompanied the Awami Khidmat Programme Mobile Outreach Van in Sargodha, where they observed grievance registration and interacted directly with citizens. They also visited the Regional Offices in Sargodha and Sialkot, gaining first-hand exposure to regional operations, complaint handling procedures, and hearing proceedings conducted by Advisors.
The internship concluded with participant presentations highlighting their findings, recommendations, and overall learning experience, followed by a certificate distribution ceremony led by Ms. Ayesha Hamid, Ombudsman Punjab, and Mr. Kaiser Saleem, Secretary.
Source: Office of the Ombudsman Punjab, Pakistan
