'Access to information important for ensuring accountability', says CJP Isa

Top judge says government institutions must give citizens access to information

ISLAMABAD:

Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said on Saturday that every citizen had the right to access information, stating that was the only way to ensure accountability in society.

Addressing a workshop held for journalists reporting on superior judiciary, the CJP said that institutions were obliged to allow citizens to have access to details.

He added that the public receives information only through court reporters as he highlighted Article 19 and 19-A of the Constitution, which refer to the freedom of speech and access to information respectively.

Speaking of a petition filed by a private citizen seeking details of Supreme Court (SC) employees, the chief justice stated that the apex court ordered its registrar to provide all the details within seven days..

“The institutions under the federal government must give citizens access to information. Not bound by law, but by the Constitution, the SC ordered to give the required details to the petitioner,” said CJP Isa.

Read SC explores link between accountability, fundamental rights

He added that the apex court uploads all its important verdicts on its website, which can be accessed by anyone. No citizen can be questioned on demanding information, the CJP maintained.

Justice Isa asserted that the process of accountability will begin only when the citizens of this nation will have complete access to information.

The top court judge stated that before him being sworn in as the CJP, no full court meetings were held in the past four years. "Now court proceedings are shown live to improve the credibility of the court's proceedings," he said.

The SC for the first time released its first quarterly report on its website, which revealed that the number of cases to be disposed of was higher than registered ones, he said. A total of 4,466 cases were registered against 5,305 of the ones completed, the report mentioned.

The CJP said that a female district and sessions judge was appointed as the SC registrar, also for the first time.