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Awareness raising session supported by the IOI's Regional Subsidies Programme
After a successful organization of awareness sessions at District headquarter, Malakand, another two sessions were organized in district Haripur. In order to inform the locals of the area about the role and responsibilities of the Ombudsman Institution, TMA Hall Haripur and University of Haripur were selected for the purpose. These Awareness Campaign sessions were held on 13/05/2026 at 11.00 A.M at TMA Hall Haripur and on 14/05/2026 at 11:00 A.M at University of Haripur, with the aim to educate the public about the role and responsibilities of this prestigious Institution. During the sessions, Advisor to the Ombudsman Muhammad Younas and Assistant Director Kamran Ali briefed participants on the Ombudsman’s jurisdiction, institutional procedures, and the process for submitting and handling public complaints and applications. The speakers explained that the Ombudsman institution provides prompt and free redressal of public complaints against maladministration, delays, and poor service delivery by provincial departments.
The awareness sessions were attended by district administration officials, including Assistant Director Senior Local Government Haripur Mr. Rashid Aslam, Assistant Director Local Government Tehsil Khanpur Mr. Saad Shaukat, Progress Officer Tehsil Khanpur Muhammad Nisar, Progress Officer Tehsil Ghazi Muhammad Jamil, Media Focal Person Local Government Haripur Mr. Saud Shah, Village Secretaries, and representatives of other district departments. At the University of Haripur, the Registrar, faculty members, and a large number of students from the Law Department also participated. Participants described the sessions as highly informative and useful. They stated that the sessions gave them important insight into the institutional system for grievance redressal and the provision of public services, which would enable them to better guide the public in their areas. Participants said that the aim of such awareness sessions is to strengthen communication between the public and government officials and to promote transparent and accountable governance.
At the University of Haripur, the distinguished guests were warmly welcomed by the Head of Department along with other distinguished guests Dr. Zahoor Ahmad (Director Admissions/ Undergrad Director), Mr. Saqib Awan (Assistant Provost and incharge student affairs) and faculty members Dr. Sajida Faraz (Assistant Professor), Ms. Aisha Nayab Qureshi (Assistant Professor), and Mr. Aitizaz Khan (Lecturer).
In her opening remarks, Ms. Saira Ali warmly welcomed the guests and highlighted the importance of learning and applying knowledge for the betterment of society. She encouraged students to actively engage with institutional processes that promote justice and public welfare. She also highlighted that after this session the students should disseminate the knowledge to their local communities.
The session started with a detailed lecture by Mr. Muhammad Kamran Ali on historical establishment of the Ombudsman institution and elaborated on its effective mechanism for grievance redressal, which is provided entirely free of cost. He emphasized the institution’s role in ensuring speedy justice for aggrieved individuals and provided a comprehensive explanation of the application process, noting that cases are generally resolved within 6 months without any financial burden on the complainant.
Mr. Muhammad Younas expressed his appreciation for the arrangement of the session by the department of law and shared his professional experiences as a Sessions Judge and his service in various other institutions such as NAB along with his association with the Ombudsman institution.
He highlighted the significance of community-oriented social justice and grassroots-level grievance redressal. He further discussed the procedural challenges faced by courts in dispute resolution and contrasted them with the Ombudsman institution’s ability to provide timely resolutions within a comparatively shorter period.
He also encouraged students to spread awareness about the institution within their communities and to strive for excellence in the field of judiciary and public service.
Source: Provincial Ombudsman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
