Open courts organised to redress public complaints

FAISALABAD: On the directions of Punjab CM Sardar Usman Buzdar, the divisional and district administration officers organised open courts here on Friday.

Divisional Commissioner Asif Iqbal Ch and RPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar jointly held an open court at RPO Office lawn while Deputy Commissioner Sardar Saifullah Dogar and CPO Ashfaq Ahmad Khan held an open court at Circuit House.

The local heads of Punjab government departments were also present in the open courts. Speaking on the occasion, the commissioner said that the objectives of holding of open courts were to apprise the public issues directly before the concerned departments so that immediate remedial measures could be taken. He said that the complaints received during the open courts would be given special attention by the concerned departments. According to the directions of the Punjab government, open courts would regularly be held by the officers of divisional and district administration/police on every Friday.

He asked the citizens to participate in the open courts without any hindrance for getting their complaints redressed without any delay. He said that every possible relief would be provided to the citizens and the officers of the Punjab government departments were following the open door policy at their offices for the ease of the public. RPO Ghulam Mehmood Dogar said that provision of rapid justice to the aggrieved citizens was the top priority of the police and all-out measures were being taken for the protection of lives and properties of the people. He asked the police officers to give proper respect to the every complainant at police stations to raise the people’s confidence in the police department. During the open court, 62 complaints were submitted against the police, including non-registration of FIRs, poor investigation and corruption.

Similarly, Deputy Commissioner Sardar Saifullah Dogar and CPO Ashfaq Ahmad Khan also listened to the public complaints jointly in an open court at Circuit House. As many as 91 applications were submitted by the complainants during the open court against illegal occupation, encroachments, unavailability of drinking water and sewerage system in some localities, bad sanitation conditions, tampering of revenue record, employment, corruption, non-arrest of proclaimed offenders, non-registration of FIRs and change of investigation. Speaking on the occasion, Deputy Commissioner Sardar Saifullah Dogar said that the public issues would be resolved immediately and the coordinated strategy would be adopted in this regard by the government departments. He assured the complainants that every possible relief would be provided to them on their complaints.

The DC warned the officers of different departments to take the public complaints seriously and take departmental action swiftly. He informed that the complaints received at the open courts would directly supervised by the Punjab government. He said that fake report would not be tolerated in this regard and the concerned officer would be accountable if found guilty. He asked the concerned officers to redress the complaints within stipulated time and departmental performance would be checked during the next open court on Friday. He informed that holding of open courts would be a regular feature as directed by the Punjab government.