REVAMPED IRD PROGRAMME TO HELP FACILITATE EXPEDITIOUS REDRESSAL OF GRIEVANCES – WAFAQI MOHTASIB

Islamabad: 15 June, 2026 – The Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD), is a revolutionary programme designed to bring about expeditious resolution of complaints through dialogue and mutual understanding without going through the rigorous official procedures. 

This was stated by the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman), Mr. Naveed Kamran Baloch while inaugurating a 4-day Online Training Workshop meant for Informal Resolution of Disputes (IRD) Focal Persons and IRD Officers at the Wafaqi Mohtasib Head Office here today. The Training Workshop aims at enhancing the capacity and efficiency of the Officers dealing with IRD cases. 
He said ‘the IRD is a structured yet flexible mechanism adopted by the Office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib to provide expeditious, accessible and amicable redressal of grievances’. It is a facilitative, non-adjudicatory and consensual process designed to resolve the grievances through mutual agreement between the parties without recourse to formal determination of rights and liabilities. In some respects, it is similar to the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) model adopted worldwide, he observed. Traditionally, the ‘Punchaiyat System’ was being practiced in this region for the last many centuries and the IRD is akin to that concept, he maintained. 
The Wafaqi Mohtasib further added that the initiative aims to institutionalize a culture of problem-solving and making grievance redressal more responsive, humane and efficient. The underlying philosophy of IRD is grounded in the principle that a large number of disputes particularly those arising from administrative delays and procedural bottlenecks can be effectively resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding. The programme is expected to benefit a large segment of the population especially in the remote and far off regions. 
It may be informed that Article-33 of the Establishment of the Office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Ombudsman) Order 1983 empowers the Mohtasib and Members of his staff to conciliate and amicably resolve grievances without resorting to formal proceedings. Dr. Syed Asif Hussain, Senior Advisor, Wafaqi Mohtasib Secretariat has been tasked to head the newly created IRD Wing in the Head Office. The various sessions of the 4-day Training Workshop would be devoted to training of the staff members with regard to the modalities and procedures for efficient handling of such cases. A special Wing was created in the Secretariat to coordinate all the IRD related work at the Head Office and Regional Offices. 

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