The Ambassadors of Pakistan in 92 missions around the world have been asked to fix one day in every week for personal hearing of Overseas Pakistanis complaints at their respective embassies.
This has been conveyed through a letter to Foreign Office of Pakistan by Senior Adviser, Registrar and Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis Hafiz Ahsaan Ahmed Khokher following directions of federal ombudsman of Pakistan.
Foreign Office has also been asked through this letter to ensure that all focal persons appointed in 92 missions of Pakistan are actively working for the resolution of overseas Pakistanis issues. The performance as well as welfare reports must be submitted by every ambassador to the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat on a monthly basis, it added.
According to a statement issued here on Sunday, the grievance commissioner has further directed all 92 ambassadors to upload their contact numbers and information of focal persons including their contacts (phone, mobile, email) on their respective websites.
It has been also asked to establish one window facilitation desks at international airports of Pakistan so that Overseas Pakistanis can contact them or avail the facilities for resolution of their issues.
Khokher also issued instructions to the officials of NADRA, Passport department, information officers and commercial counselors working in Pakistani embassies to work for the resolution of overseas Pakistanis issues on priority.
All the ambassadors have been advised to set up online appointment system for overseas Pakistanis so that they can avail this facility and get their issues resolved without any hassle.
Passport Department has been also asked to open new counters, make separate arrangement for women and increase their staff in Riyadh and other Middle Eastern countries.
In Pakistan, six one window facilitation desks have been established at Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta and Multan airports on the directions of Federal Ombudsman M. Salman Faroqui. A seventh such desk will be established at Sialkot airport in February.
Hafiz Ahsaan said that Overseas Pakistan get advice from these facilitation desks and various problems like loss of luggage, boarding, porters, taxi, immigration and several others are minimized.
In addition, the grievance commissioner has fixed these matters for hearing on January 29 at 2PM in the Federal Ombudsman Secretariat.