ISLAMABAD: The Federal Tax Ombudsman (FTO) Secretariat hosted the 31st meeting of the Forum of Pakistan Ombudsman (FPO), bringing together ombudspersons from across the country for consultations on institutional priorities and reforms.

Federal Tax Ombudsman Zafar ul Haq Hijazi welcomed participants and highlighted the need for greater use of information technology, procedural uniformity, stronger coordination among institutions, and improved public outreach. He noted that awareness of ombudsman services remains limited and called for simplified strategies to ensure citizens can easily access grievance redressal mechanisms.

International achievements of Pakistani ombudspersons were acknowledged, including the election of Punjab Ombudsman Ayesha Hamid as Vice President of the International Ombudsman Institute (IOI) and Sindh Ombudsman Sohail Rajput as IOI Director. Executive Secretary FPO Almas Ali Jovindah opened the proceedings, noting Pakistan’s active role in global forums, including the election of Wafaqi Mohtasib Ejaz Ahmed Qureshi as President of the Asian Ombudsman Association (AOA).

Policy discussions focused on digitization, emerging technologies, and legal reforms to strengthen accountability. Fauzia Viqar emphasized the role of IT systems and responsible use of artificial intelligence in improving service delivery. Former ombudspersons shared best practices from recent years, including online training programs and public awareness campaigns introduced during the COVID-19 period.

The newly appointed Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ombudsman, Rubab Mehdi, called for amendments to existing by-laws to enhance institutional responsiveness. The Forum welcomed her appointment and expressed confidence in collaborative efforts to advance reforms and gender equity.

Federal Ombudsman Secretary Ali Tahir reported that by December 2025, more than 242,000 complaints had been addressed, providing relief worth approximately Rs. 9.46 billion. He also highlighted the expansion of offices to 28 cities and improvements in digital outreach. Presenting FTO performance, Jovindah said that between 2021 and December 2025, the office received 37,553 cases and disposed of 34,744, reflecting a steadily improving disposal rate.

In his concluding remarks, Hijazi reaffirmed the FTO’s commitment to citizen-centric reforms, institutional harmony, and transparent justice delivery within the FPO framework.

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