Overseas Pakistanis: Complain to the Wafaqi Mohtasib Grievance Commissioner, 1055 or 0092-51-9213886
Overseas Pakistanis can complain about federal bodies to the Wafaqi Mohtasib. See the helpline numbers, hours, airport desks, 60 day limit and the FIA lines.
An overseas Pakistani with a problem at a federal department can write to the Grievance Commissioner for Overseas Pakistanis at the Wafaqi Mohtasib (Federal Ombudsman). From abroad, call 0092-51-9213886 or 0092-51-9213887. Inside Pakistan, call 1055. The office lists hours of 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM, Monday to Friday, and the email mohtasiboverseasgcommissioner@gmail.com. No lawyer and no fee are needed.
We read the Wafaqi Mohtasib's Grievance Commissioner Cell page and its FAQ on 14 October 2026, and the FIA's overseas complaint page on the same day. We did not call any number or send any email.
The cell takes complaints against federal bodies only
The Wafaqi Mohtasib deals with federal ministries, divisions, departments and bodies the federal government controls. The Grievance Commissioner Cell is the part of that office set up for overseas Pakistanis. The Urdu text on the page says it was created in 2015 under Section 7 of the Federal Ombudsmen Institutional Reforms Act, 2013.
The Urdu page says an overseas Pakistani can complain about injustice, delay or misuse of powers by federal bodies, and that no lawyer or fee is needed. Typical federal bodies in an overseas case are NADRA, the passport office, FIA immigration and the tax authority. A problem with a provincial office, such as a land record in Punjab, belongs to the provincial ombudsman. The Punjab Overseas Pakistanis Commission has its own provincial complaint route for that case.
The ombudsman's FAQ adds limits that apply to everyone. It says the office cannot take a matter that is before a court, foreign relations, defence, or a service matter about a person's own job. It says a complaint should be filed within three months of the grievance, though it allows exceptions for good reasons.
Contact the Grievance Commissioner by email, phone or post
The cell page lists every channel in one place. The helpline numbers are the fastest. Email and post suit complaints with papers attached.
| Channel | Detail on the Mohtasib page |
|---|---|
| Helpline inside Pakistan | 1055 |
| Helpline from other countries | 0092-51-9213886 and 0092-51-9213887 |
| Hours | Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM |
| Office telephone | 051-9217259 |
| Fax | 051-9217224 |
| mohtasiboverseasgcommissioner@gmail.com | |
| Post | Office of the Wafaqi Mohtasib, 36 Constitution Avenue, Islamabad |
The Urdu text says the cell acts on email and postal complaints daily and keeps the complainant informed by email, WhatsApp, voice message and phone. That is the office's own promise. We have not tested it.
Complaints from abroad follow six steps
The ombudsman's own advice is to complain to the department first, because many problems end there. The FAQ calls this advisable, not mandatory. Then go to the cell with your papers. The steps below are drawn from the FAQ and our reading of the cell page.
- Write to the federal department that caused the problem and keep a dated copy.
- If it does not reply, write a short complaint with dates, names and what you want.
- Attach the department's reply, if any, and a copy of your CNIC or passport.
- Email the Grievance Commissioner, or call the overseas helpline for help.
- Wait for the acknowledgement, which the FAQ says comes within 48 hours.
- Answer any request for more papers quickly, because the FAQ gives 60 days as the usual limit.
The FAQ also says a complaint must come from the person affected, or from legal heirs if that person has died. An anonymous complaint is not investigated. So an overseas family member should add a signed authority letter, or let the affected person sign. Ask the helpline what it accepts. The general steps in the Wafaqi Mohtasib complaint guide apply too.
Airport desks and embassy days give face-to-face help
The cell page says the Federal Ombudsman set up One Window Facilitation Desks at eight international airports. It lists Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, Sialkot and Faisalabad. The page says representatives of 12 agencies sit at them 24 hours a day, including NADRA, the passport directorate, OPF, FIA, FBR, PIA and the Bureau of Emigration. Any overseas Pakistani leaving or arriving can use them.
The page also says each Pakistani mission abroad has a focal person and a weekly day to meet overseas Pakistanis, plus a monthly open or online katchehri (public hearing). We did not find a list of mission days, so ask your embassy. The OPF airport facilitation desk numbers are a separate desk run by the Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, and the steps to lodge a complaint with the OPF suit OPF matters.
The FIA runs its own overseas complaint lines
For immigration or crime matters, the FIA's overseas page lists its own channels. It gives the UAN +92-51-111-345-786 and the landline +92-51-9261104 as dedicated helplines for overseas Pakistanis. It also gives complaints.img@fia.gov.pk for immigration complaints, and a link to the NCCIA complaint site for cyber crime.
The two official pages do not agree on every detail. The FIA page names a different Grievance Commissioner and email from the Mohtasib's own page. We follow the Mohtasib page for the cell, because the Mohtasib runs it. If an email bounces, call the helpline. For a stuck FIA matter, the guide on filing an FIA complaint online lists what the portal takes.
Common questions about the overseas Grievance Commissioner
Do I need a lawyer to complain from abroad?
No. The Urdu text on the cell page says no lawyer or fee is needed to complain. The FAQ says the same for the Wafaqi Mohtasib in general.
What number do I call from outside Pakistan?
The page lists 0092-51-9213886 and 0092-51-9213887 for calls from other countries, and 1055 inside Pakistan. It lists Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 9:30 PM.
Can I complain about a provincial office?
No. The Wafaqi Mohtasib covers federal bodies. Provincial offices fall under provincial ombudsmen, such as the Ombudsman Punjab or the Sindh Ombudsman.
How long does a complaint take?
The FAQ gives a statutory limit of 60 days, and says complicated cases can take longer. It also says an acknowledgement should come within 48 hours.
Can a relative file for me?
The FAQ says no, the aggrieved person must file, or their legal heirs if they have died. Ask the helpline how a family member can help, for example by signing as your representative.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 14 October 2026. The cell contacts, airport desks, mission arrangements and complaint rules come from the Wafaqi Mohtasib's Grievance Commissioner Cell page and FAQ at mohtasib.gov.pk. The FIA lines come from the overseas page at fia.gov.pk. We did not test any contact. The two sites differ on the commissioner's name and email, and we followed the Mohtasib page.
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.
