The Provincial Ombudsman Secretariat of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa released its nine-month performance report on Monday. According to the report, a total of 9,970 hearings were conducted during this period, while 150 commissions were formed to resolve inheritance and other disputes. As a result of these measures, property matters worth 23.3 billion rupees were settled transparently.

Providing details, Human Rights Coordinator Dr. Rabia Gul said in a statement that after Provincial Ombudsman Rabab Mehdi assumed charge, the institution’s performance saw a remarkable increase. While only 20 decisions were made in July, by March 2026, this number had steadily risen to 221 decisions per month.

From July to December, disputes involving properties worth 13.6 billion rupees were resolved through 96 commissions, while during January and February 2026, an additional 54 commissions settled disputes worth 9.7 billion rupees. According to Dr. Rabia Gul, for the first time in the province’s history, open public hearings were held at the divisional level in the presence of police officers and commissioners, effectively bringing justice to people’s doorsteps.

In Peshawar, with the participation of 2,500 citizens, facilitation was provided in 1,600 inheritance cases and 900 human rights cases, achieving a 98% resolution rate. Similarly, in Abbottabad, more than 50 million rupees worth of property was recovered in the presence of 1,650 participants, including 600 women. In Mardan, 1,500 citizens, and in Malakand, 1,200 citizens participated, where hundreds of complaints were addressed on the spot and new cases were registered.

She further added that in the past, complainants had to wait months for hearing dates, but now, due to the extraordinary step of listing 80 to 90 cases daily, dates are assigned within just 15 to 20 days. In a short span of nine months, more than 150 special commissions were sent into the field, ensuring inheritance rights and resolving complex legal matters.

Major achievements include the swift resolution of a case pending in Peshawar for 17 years, and granting possession of property to a female complainant despite a firing incident involving a brave woman officer. A notable success of the institution is that 70% of cases were resolved through “conflict resolution” (reconciliation), helping reunite families that had been separated for years.

Additionally, under an active referral system, 6,895 cases that did not fall directly under its mandate were also resolved. Of these, 1,700 cases were referred to the National Commission for Human Rights, 1,580 to the police, and 1,100 to family courts, providing relief to complainants.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)