ISLAMABAD, Feb 19 (APP):Pakistan and Tanzania can learn from each other’s experiences in areas like public sector accountability, institutional capacity building besides tax administration and redressal of public complaints for ensuring fair taxation regime in both the countries.
This was observed in a meeting held between the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi and Mr. Erasmus Vincent Mtui, Tax Ombudsman of Tanzania, who called on him yesterday at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat. Mr. Erasmus is currently leading a 17-member delegation from the Tax Ombudsman Service of Tanzania to Pakistan on a week-long study visit. It was further observed that exchange of experiences and best practices between the two institutions would benefit both sides.
The Wafaqi Mohtasib, Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi briefed the delegation about the salient features of the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s Institution. He said that owing to persistent efforts for speedy resolution of public complaints, the Institution of Wafaqi Mohtasib has emerged as the poor man’s court, enjoying the trust and confidence of the general public.
He said that it has processed and decided a record number of 261,101 complaints during the outgoing year 2025, as against 223,198 cases decided in 2024. This increase in the number of complaints decided has been attributed to initiatives like the Khuli Katcheries (Open Courts), Outreach Complaint Resolution (OCR) mechanism, the Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD) and Inspection Visits of government agencies and departments. It has achieved an unprecedented implementation rate of 96.8% during the year, he maintained.
Mr. Qureshi also informed that with a view to enhancing outreach and accessibility, a number of new Regional Offices and Complaint Collection Centres (CCC) have been established during the last two years mostly in the remote and far off regions of the country. Now the institution has presence in 28 cities across the country, which is instrumental in dispensing administrative justice virtually at the doorsteps of the people.
Later, the delegation was given a detailed presentation on the Federal Ombudsman’s mandate, operational modalities, role and functions, particularly the mechanism for receipt and disposal of public complaints, which was followed by a Question/Answer session.
The leader of the Tanzanian delegation commended the outstanding performance of the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s Institution, saying that it is rendering very useful service to the people.
He emphasised the need to establish closer professional linkages between the Wafaqi Mohtasib’s Institution and Tax Ombudsman of Tanzania to their mutual advantage.