KABUL (SW): To witness the justice delivery process at the Attorney General’s Office (AGO), I spent a day here observing so many citizens coming to seek solutions for their troubles.
Jamshed Rasuli, spokesman for the AGO, allowed me to observe the affairs at a 10 sqm office where the AG, Fareed Hamidi, was personally hearing out the complainants patiently. The evidently worried visitors were repeatedly explaining the troubles they were faced with in a bid to absorb the maximum attention of the top officials.
I saw an elderly woman enter the room, and telling the AG that a street municipality councilor has encroached upon her home forcing her out. Another elderly man told the AG that the dossier related to the murder of his young son, who was killed four years ago, remains idle at the judicial organs.
Witnessing so many worried citizens desperate for justice made me think about the pile of dossiers at the judicial organs that certainly require candid review and timely delivery of justice.
In the courtyard outside the AG’s office, the visitors expressed gratitude towards the move by AG Fareed Hamidi to personally meet complainants once a week. They hailed this unprecedented move by a top government official.
Syed Mawla Sha, an elderly visitor at the AGO, told Salam Watandar that in his 60 years of life, this is an unparalleled move. His young son has been freed on the directives of the AGO.
The AGO’s spokesman said in this regard that every Tuesday has been dedicated as a weekly open day for citizens. He informed up to 150 people visit the AG on this day till 10pm in the night. He said this practice has helped the AG estimate the workload at various judicial institutions. Jamshed Rasuli informed that the meetings on Tuesdays have helped resolve up to six thousand cases.
Leaving the AG’s office, I kept thinking about prospects for a massive positive change in service delivery if all top officials dedicate one day a week for public interactions.
ENDS
