FAFEN urges Sindh to reform RTI law, citing weak enforcement and structural gaps

2025 assessment finds public bodies comply with only 54% of proactive disclosure requirements

The Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN) has called for legal and institutional reforms to address structural and implementation gaps in the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act (STRIA), 2016.

In a policy brief titled “Closing the Information Gap: The Case for Reforming the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016”, FAFEN urges the Provincial Assembly of Sindh, the Sindh Information Commission, and the provincial government to work together to transform the law’s promise of transparency into effective practice.

The policy brief is part of FAFEN’s “Countering Disinformation through Reliable Government Information” campaign.

As Pakistan continues to face the rapid spread of misinformation, which fuels political polarisation, the Network noted that strengthening RTI frameworks remains essential for restoring public trust and ensuring equitable access to verified information.

Despite being grounded in constitutional guarantees under Article 19A, the STRIA’s implementation remains weak. FAFEN’s 2025 assessment of 61 public bodies in Sindh found that, on average, public bodies comply with only 54% of the law’s proactive disclosure requirements.

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The policy brief identifies structural and operational weaknesses that contribute to this compliance gap.

These include vague definitions that allow arbitrary interpretation of legal obligations, the absence of mandatory compliance reporting by public bodies, and limited digitalisation of RTI processes, including complaint handling and request tracking.

Further, the Act does not prescribe standardised formats for information management and disclosure, resulting in inconsistent and often unusable information across public bodies. Additionally, insufficient safeguards for the independence and financial autonomy of the Sindh Information Commission, along with the absence of strategic planning requirements, constrain its effectiveness as an oversight body.

To address these gaps, FAFEN has recommended targeted amendments to the STRIA, including the clarification of key definitions in order to expand the scope of the law, mandating annual compliance reporting by public bodies, and introducing whistleblower protections to strengthen internal accountability.

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The brief also calls for reforms to ensure a transparent and consultative process for the appointment of information commissioners, enhanced financial autonomy through a dedicated fund, and stronger legal powers for the Commission to conduct inspections and issue binding directives.

Emphasising the role of technology, FAFEN recommended the introduction of digital systems for submission and tracking of RTI requests and complaints, along with automated applicant notifications.

It has also proposed the development of standardised disclosure formats tailored to different categories of public bodies to improve consistency, usability, and comparability of information.