Facilitation Desk for expats opened at Quetta International Airport
- October 15, 2015, 10:01 pm
- Breaking News
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Quetta Oct (PPI): In a bid to provide relief to overseas Pakistanis and solve their problems at Pakistani airports, Federal Ombudsman, M. Salman Faruqui has ordered for establishment of one window facilitation desks at all international airports of Pakistan. On Thursday inaugurated One Window Facilitation Desk for the expats here at the Quetta International Airport.
Accompanied by Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar, Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis and Registrar/Advisor Law Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat, Faruqui inaugurated the fifth of its kind that is followed by Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. Briefing on the occasion, Hafiz Khokhar told that several ministries and divisions have been taken on board for resolution of the problems faced by overseas Pakistanis including; Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Investigation Agency, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation. Overseas Pakistanis Employment Corporation, Ministry of Overseas Pakistanis & Human Resource Development, Passport and Immigration, Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation, Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Civil Aviation Authority, National Database & Registration Authority, Board of Investment, Pakistan International Airline Corporation, Ministry of Information Broadcasting & National Heritage, Bureau of Immigration, State Bank of Pakistan, Capital Development Authority, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Housing and Works, Ministry of Religious Affairs. Pakistan Television Corporation, Civil Aviation Division. Ministry of Information Technology and Ministry of Commerce. He said that Honourable Federal Ombudsman has taken special initiative for overseas Pakistanis and established Grievance Commissioner Cell for Overseas Pakistanis under Section 7 of Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Act, 2013.
Giving details, he said that the main objective of the appointment of Grievance Commissioner for expatriates was to evolve online complaint handling mechanism for the resolution of individual and collective problems of overseas Pakistanis here in Pakistan and abroad as well Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar maintained that the Grievance Commissioner Cell for Overseas Pakistanis has taken an initiative to provide facility to Overseas Pakistanis by creating a one stop complaints management system with the technical support of the National Information Technology Board ( NITB ), Ministry of IT. complaints management system will be developed for registration and tracking of This is the first step ever taken by any Ombudsman of the world for Overseas. It would help millions of Pakistanis to resolve their issues here in Pakistan and in their respective countries, he apprised. The Grievance Commissioner further added that the One Window Facilitation Desks at these airports will be represented by twelve (12) stake holders i.e. Civil Aviation Authority, Federal Board of Revenue, Federal Investigation Agency, Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, Overseas Employment Corporation, Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, Ministry of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony, National Database & Registration Authority, Pakistan International Airlines Corporation, Bureau of Emigration and Overseas Employment, Airport Security Force and Anti胤arcotics Force. These Facilitation Desks will be operational round the clock (24/7) and all concerned Agencies will ensure the presence of their concerned officials that no desk would be left unattended, Khokhar informed adding that Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) and Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will act as Complaint Handling/Coordination Agencies and will submit regularly weekly report to the heads of Agencies and Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis. Meanwhile, briefing media on the occasion, Hafiz Ahsan Ahmad Khokhar said that the Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis in Wafaqi Mohtasib has taken several crucial steps in collaboration with the federal government ministries. He said that the steps included establishing of an independent website: www.overseas.federalombudsman.gov.pk, appointment of focal persons in all relevant ministries and departments and in the concerned embassies of Pakistan. It also includes activation of a Toll Free Number, coordination with Pakistan mission abroad, constitution of an advisory council and online tracking system of complaints by the overseas Pakistanis. Machine Readable Passport (MRP) facility, One Window Facilitation Desks at Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad and Allama Iqbal International Airport Lahore and Bacha Khan International Airport Peshawar and now in Quetta, investment of overseas Pakistanis, hearing of complaints through video link and solving problems of overseas Pakistanis Prisoners are also milestones of Grievance Commissioner for overseas Pakistanis, Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmad Khokhar concluded.
