Open courts strengthen public trust, ensure doorstep justice: Saima Farooq

LAHORE: Chairperson Chief Minister’s Complaint Cell Saima Farooq on Friday said that public trust remains the true strength of the government and is further reinforced through people-centric governance.

Presiding over an open court (Khuli Katcheri) held at the Sahiwal Arts Council, she said such forums serve as an effective mechanism for directly conveying citizens’ concerns to government representatives, ensuring the provision of justice and relief at their doorstep.

Commissioner Sahiwal Division Dr Asif Tufail, Deputy Commissioner Capt (retd) Samiullah Farooq, District Police Officer Muhammad Usman Tipu, and officers from various government departments were also present on the occasion.

During the open court, citizens submitted complaints and issues related to different government departments. A total of 271 applications were received, which were handed over to the concerned officials with instructions for immediate action and resolution within the stipulated timeframe.

Saima Farooq said that, on the instructions of Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, open courts are being held across the province to bridge the gap between the government and the public and to provide citizens a direct platform to register their grievances.

She directed officials to ensure prompt progress on all applications and warned that any negligence in addressing public issues would not be tolerated.

“No genuine complaint of any citizen will be ignored, and all departments must discharge their responsibilities with a spirit of public service,” she said.

She added that the Punjab government is implementing practical measures to ensure sustainable solutions to public issues, promote transparency, and improve the performance of public institutions.

She further reiterated the government’s commitment to the continuous monitoring of applications received through open courts to ensure meaningful relief for citizens and the effective delivery of services at the grassroots level.