How to Register Complaint in Citizen Portal in Pakistan
Note: App features, screens, and processing times can change with updates. This guide reflects the current Pakistan Citizen Portal app as of June 2026. Always check citizenportal.gov.pk or the official app listing for the latest version.
Most people in Pakistan have a story about a government office that ignored them, a utility complaint that went nowhere, or a police station that ended up making the problem feel worse. The Pakistan Citizen Portal exists specifically for that frustration. It’s a free, government-run app that lets you file a complaint against any federal or provincial department and have it tracked, assigned, and escalated automatically if nobody responds.
This guide covers how to register a complaint in the Citizen Portal in Pakistan, from downloading the app to choosing the right category and following up if your issue isn’t resolved.
What Is the Pakistan Citizen Portal?
The Pakistan Citizen Portal is a government owned mobile application, available on both Android and iOS, used to promote citizen centric participatory governance. It provides a nationwide window to connect people with government organizations at all levels for raising issues, complaints, and suggestions.
It’s run by the Prime Minister’s Performance Delivery Unit. PMDU was established in 2013 and reorganized with a new vision to promote citizen centric and participatory governance. Its primary objective is to provide citizens an opportunity to seamlessly communicate with all government entities and have their issues resolved with priority.
The unit places special emphasis on facilitation of overseas Pakistanis, women, special persons, and foreigners. Foreigners and Pakistanis who have since taken foreign nationality may also register on the portal.
The system isn’t limited to one province or one department. The Pakistan Citizen Portal is an integrated citizen grievance redressal system connecting all government organizations at both federal and provincial levels, serving as a carrier of complaints to their respective offices across Pakistan.
What Counts as a Valid Complaint
Before you start typing, it helps to know what the portal actually accepts.
A complaint may refer to an objection over poor service delivery, failure to provide information, inefficiency, unfair decisions, merit violations, or poor administration. A complaint may also include allegations of misconduct, misuse of authority, non-cooperation of an officer, or demand for a bribe.
A complaint may include any grievance related to an organization caused by long procedural delays in availing some service, or as a result of policy or legal gaps.
People generally use the portal because they are unhappy with a decision, the way a service was delivered, the level of service received, or the behavior of staff.
The portal also accepts requests beyond formal complaints. You can use it to seek guidance about availing a government service or to put forward suggestions for the betterment of society.
What it won’t process: complaints pertaining to religion, ethnicity, sect, or hate speech are not accepted on the portal.
How to Register a Complaint: Step by Step
The process is the same whether you’re in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, or sitting overseas filing a complaint about a Pakistani department.
Step 1: Download the App
Download and install the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal app. It’s available on both the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, listed as “Pakistan Citizen Portal” and developed by the National IT Board, Government of Pakistan.
Step 2: Create Your Account
Register yourself with your CNIC and mobile number. Provide your username, password, and confirm password to start. The app will verify your username, then ask for your CNIC number, province, district, and residential address.
You must provide your CNIC or NTN number while lodging a complaint, since this is required for effective redressal.
Step 3: Start a New Complaint
After creating your account, you’ll see the app’s home screen showing your complaint history, including total complaints, open complaints, and dropped complaints. Tap the plus icon, then select “New Complaint” from the options shown.
Step 4: Choose the Right Category
You’ll be given different categories for complaints such as agriculture, banking, education, and others. Select the category that’s related to your issue.
Picking the right category matters more than people realize. The system routes your complaint based on this selection, and a complaint filed under the wrong department adds delay before it reaches the right office.
Step 5: Describe Your Issue and Attach Evidence
Write a clear, specific description of what happened, when, and where. If you have supporting documents, photos, or reference numbers (like a bill number, FIR number, or application ID), attach them. A vague complaint is harder for an officer to act on, and specificity speeds up resolution.
Step 6: Submit and Get Your Complaint Code
Once you register your complaint, you receive an automatic complaint code through which you can track the status of your complaint. Save this code. You’ll need it for any follow up.
What Happens After You Submit
This is the part most people don’t know about, and it’s actually the most useful detail in this whole process.
The complaint is automatically assigned to the Deputy Commissioner of the concerned district through an online dashboard based portal. The focal person either assigns the complaint to the concerned officer or resolves it directly.
There’s a built in escalation timeline, and it’s strict. The officer has to resolve the complaint within 0 to 15 days. After 15 days, the complaint is escalated to the Commissioner, and after 22 days it’s escalated to the Chief Secretary.
In other words, if the relevant officer sits on your complaint, the system itself pushes it up the chain without you having to do anything. This automatic escalation is the core feature that distinguishes the Citizen Portal from older complaint cells where a complaint could simply disappear into a drawer.
Once a decision is made, you’re informed about the outcome, and you can rate your level of satisfaction in terms of the time and quality of how your complaint was processed.
There’s also a quality control layer on top of this. PMDU has been directed to randomly re open a targeted number of resolved complaints under the tagline “Prime Minister of Pakistan.” Citizen feedback might be one of the factors behind reopening a resolved complaint, and any complaint reopened this way cannot be closed until the resolution statement is approved by the Head of the Organization.
Provincial Portals: KP Citizen’s Portal and Others
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had its own complaint system before the national rollout, and it’s worth knowing the history because some older links and apps still reference it.
The KP Citizen’s Portal began as a highly interactive mobile application aimed at information dissemination, citizen engagement, and redressal of public complaints, implemented in 1500 offices across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Since 2018, it has been extended nationwide and is now available under “Pakistan Citizen Portal,” managed by PMDU based in the Prime Minister’s office.
If you come across an app called “KP Citizen’s Portal” specifically, it covers similar functionality but for Khyber Pakhtunkhwa specific services like domicile certificates, land records (fard), and birth certificates, in addition to general complaints.
Real Experiences: What Users Say
It’s worth being honest about how the app actually performs, based on what users report.
Reviews are mixed. One user described their experience with three consecutive complaints against SNGPL, noting that the app forwards complaints to the relevant department and they get resolved based on that department’s response, though sometimes the response itself feels inadequate.
Other users have had more positive experiences. One reviewer called it a fantastic experience for highlighting issues at the local level and lodging complaints about problems they faced, describing it as a brilliant initiative to help resolve public issues.
Some reviews are sharply critical. One reviewer called it a pathetic and useless app, suggesting complainants not waste their time on it, while another noted that Pakistan’s basic problem is red tape and complex rules, and the app reflects that same complexity.
The honest takeaway: the system works as designed for many complaints, particularly those involving clear procedural delays or service failures with a defined government department. For more systemic issues, or complaints against departments with weak internal accountability, results vary. The escalation mechanism still applies, but the quality of the final resolution depends heavily on the responsiveness of the specific office involved.
Tips for Getting Your Complaint Resolved Faster
Be specific in your description. Include dates, reference numbers, names of offices visited, and what outcome you’re seeking. Officers respond faster to complaints they can act on immediately without needing to ask follow up questions.
Choose the correct category and department. If you’re not sure which department handles your issue, a quick search on citizenportal.gov.pk or a call to the relevant ministry’s helpline before filing can save you a redirect.
Attach evidence. Photos of damaged infrastructure, screenshots of online portals showing errors, or copies of receipts and bills make your case stronger and harder to dismiss.
Track your complaint code regularly. Don’t file and forget. Check the status periodically, especially around the 15 day and 22 day marks, since that’s when escalation should kick in if nothing has happened.
Rate your resolution honestly. When you’re asked to rate your satisfaction with how your complaint was processed, do it honestly. This feedback feeds into the performance evaluation of the officers and departments involved, which is part of how the system holds people accountable over time.
FAQ
Is the Pakistan Citizen Portal free to use?
Yes. The app is free to download from both the Play Store and App Store, and there’s no fee to register a complaint.
Can overseas Pakistanis use the Citizen Portal?
Yes. Pakistani citizens and overseas Pakistanis may register their complaints against all government departments through the mobile application for redressal.
Can foreigners file complaints?
Foreigners and Pakistanis who have since become foreign nationals may register on the portal.
What information do I need to register?
You’ll need your CNIC number, a working mobile number, and your residential details including province, district, and address. You must provide your CNIC or NTN number while lodging a complaint for effective redressal.
How long does it take to get my complaint resolved?
Officers are required to resolve complaints within 0 to 15 days. If unresolved after 15 days, the complaint escalates to the Commissioner, and after 22 days to the Chief Secretary. Actual resolution time varies depending on the complexity of the issue and the responsiveness of the assigned department.
What if I’m not satisfied with how my complaint was handled?
You can rate your satisfaction at the end of the process. Complaints can also be reopened by PMDU based on citizen feedback, and a reopened complaint stays open until the Head of the Organization approves the resolution.
Can I file a complaint against the police through the Citizen Portal?
Yes. Complaints against police departments, including misconduct or non-cooperation, fall within the categories the portal accepts. Police complaints received through the portal are processed by the IGP office, with dedicated staff working in shifts under the supervision of the AIG Complaint.
What can’t I complain about on this portal?
Complaints related to religion, ethnicity, sect, or hate speech are not processed on the portal. These are dropped during initial review.
If you’ve got a genuine grievance with a government department in Pakistan, filing it through the Citizen Portal is genuinely worth the ten minutes it takes. Download the app, register with your CNIC, pick the right category, write a clear and specific description, and save your complaint code. The automatic escalation built into the system means your complaint doesn’t just sit there if the first officer ignores it. It’s not a perfect system, and some users find it frustrating, but it’s a real channel that has resolved issues for a lot of people who had no other way to be heard.
