Complain to the Sindh Ombudsman (Mohtasib) Free, Online or in Person
Complain to the Provincial Ombudsman Sindh free of cost: who it covers, the 3 month limit, how to file online, by email or in person, and what happens next.
To complain to the Provincial Ombudsman (Mohtasib) Sindh, register at complaints.mohtasibsindh.gov.pk, email mohtasibhd@yahoo.com, post Form A, or visit one of its offices. It is free. File within 3 months of the problem, in English, Urdu or Sindhi, with your CNIC copy and any letters to the department.
Most people in Sindh have a story about a file that never moved. A pension case stuck in an office. A water connection approved on paper and never laid. A school that will not release a certificate. Each time, the question is the same: who do you go to when the department itself is the problem?
For any Sindh government department, that body is the Provincial Ombudsman Sindh. We read its website on 3 October 2026, including its complaint pages, its FAQs and its list of regional offices. Here is how it works, in plain steps.
The Sindh Ombudsman hears complaints against Sindh departments
The Provincial Ombudsman (Mohtasib) Sindh investigates maladministration by any department, commission, corporation or body run by the Government of Sindh. It was set up under the Establishment of the Office of Ombudsman for the Province of Sindh Act, 1991. Its service is free.
Maladministration is the legal word for a government office doing its job badly. The Ombudsman's own page spells it out. A decision that breaks the law or the rules counts. So does one that is arbitrary, biased or unjust. Bribery, favouritism and nepotism count, and so do neglect, delay, incompetence and inefficiency.
So a department that simply sits on your file for months is covered. You do not need to prove corruption.
Federal bodies are different. For a federal body such as NADRA or the passport office, you go to the Wafaqi Mohtasib instead. Banks have their own Banking Mohtasib.
Complaints the Sindh Ombudsman cannot take
The Ombudsman Sindh says it cannot handle matters already in court, external affairs, defence, or service matters, which means a government employee's own job disputes. It does not investigate anonymous complaints, and the person affected must file it themselves.
The rule on who files is strict. Someone else cannot lodge the complaint for you. After you file, though, you can authorise a person who knows the case to represent you at hearings.
The time limit is 3 months from the cause of the grievance. The Ombudsman can accept a late complaint if you give a reasonable reason for the delay, so do not give up just because the date has passed. Explain it.
| Question | Answer from the Ombudsman Sindh |
|---|---|
| Fee | Free |
| Time limit | Normally 3 months from the grievance |
| Languages | English, Urdu or Sindhi |
| Anonymous complaints | Not investigated |
| Not covered | Court cases, external affairs, defence, service matters |
| Usual time to resolve | 3 to 6 months, its stated aim |
| Appeal | Representation to the Governor Sindh within 30 days |
How to file a complaint with the Sindh Ombudsman
Write to the department first. Then file with the Ombudsman online, by email to mohtasibhd@yahoo.com, by post, or in person at the head office or a regional office, on Form A. Attach your CNIC copy and every letter you exchanged with the department.
- Complain to the department first. The Ombudsman says this is not compulsory, but it advises it. Keep a copy and the date.
- Collect your papers: CNIC copy, the department's replies, receipts, and any order or notice.
- Write the facts. What happened, where, when, and the names and posts of the officers involved.
- Say what you want. A pension released, a certificate issued, a refund, a connection laid.
- File it. Register at complaints.mohtasibsindh.gov.pk, or email mohtasibhd@yahoo.com, or take Form A to an office.
- Keep the reference and attend any hearing you are called to.
Keep it short. One page of facts with dates beats five pages of anger. The Ombudsman's FAQ asks for enough detail to understand the case and decide how to deal with it, and no more.
What happens after you file
The Ombudsman first checks whether the complaint is within its powers. If it is, both you and the department get a chance to give your side. If it finds maladministration, it sends recommendations to the department with a deadline, then follows up. Its stated aim is 3 to 6 months.
If the complaint is outside its powers, you are told why. Sometimes the Ombudsman still writes to the department to help you along.
If a department ignores the recommendations on purpose, the Ombudsman can send a formal reference to the Governor Sindh, who may give the department further directions. And if you disagree with the decision, you can make a representation to the Governor within 30 days of receiving it.
Complaints are handled in confidence, the Ombudsman says, and you are told the result.
Head office and 19 regional offices
The head office is on Shahrah-e-Kamal Ataturk in Karachi, on 021-99211031, 021-99211025 and 021-99211028. The Ombudsman lists 19 regional offices, including Karachi East, South, Central, West and Korangi, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Larkana, Mirpurkhas and Shaheed Benazirabad.
Other regional offices are in Badin, Dadu, Thatta, Khairpur, Jacobabad, Ghotki, Mithi in Tharparkar, Nausharo Feroze and Sanghar. Each has its own phone number and email on the Regional Offices page. Going in person to the nearest one is often the easiest route if you are not comfortable online.
The office also runs a separate Children Complaints Office, and it has an Android app linked from its website.
The Ombudsman is useful for problems with Sindh services. For example, a delay at a provincial office over a Sindh PRC certificate is the kind of case it hears, after you have first raised it with the office itself.
Common questions
Is it free to complain to the Sindh Ombudsman?
Yes. The Ombudsman Sindh says its services are free. You do not need a lawyer to file.
How long do I have to file a complaint?
Normally 3 months from the cause of the grievance. A late complaint can be accepted if you give a reasonable reason for the delay.
Can I complain online?
Yes. Register at complaints.mohtasibsindh.gov.pk and log in to file. You can also email mohtasibhd@yahoo.com.
Can a relative file the complaint for me?
No. The person affected must file it. After that, you can authorise someone who knows the case to represent you at hearings.
Can a government employee complain about a transfer or promotion?
No. Service matters are outside the Sindh Ombudsman's powers, along with court cases, external affairs and defence.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
We read these on 3 October 2026 on the Ombudsman Sindh website: Making a Complaint, the Complaint FAQs, Our Charter, Contact Us and Regional Offices, plus the online complaint portal's start page. We did not file a test complaint.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
