A research study conducted by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) claims that even though right to information (RTI) laws in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab meet international standards, citizens will only benefit from them when the respective provincial information commissions play their due role.
According to a press release, the NGO’s annual report, titled ‘The State of Right to Information in Pakistan’, measured RTI laws of both provinces against key legislative standards and revealed that the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013 scored 137 out of 145 whereas the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act received 134 points.
In the research study spanning almost a year, CPDI sent 1,117 information requests on matters of public importance to federal and provincial public bodies under their respective laws from July 1, 2013 to June 25, 2014.
The requests were followed-up at all stages and complaints were lodged with the respective appellate bodies when access was delayed or unlawfully denied, stated the press release.
The purpose of submitting information requests to public bodies was to collect empirical evidence regarding the effectiveness of the existing RTI laws and promote research-based advocacy initiatives regarding the law.
The fact that the required information was provided in only 97 requests shows the low priority that public bodies give to requests of information, it states, adding that of the 1,117 requests, 46 were submitted to federal public bodies under the Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002 of which only two were answered.
Furthermore, the report recommends that Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002 and its replicas in Sindh and Balochistan in the shape of Sindh Freedom of Information Ordinance 2006 and Balochistan Freedom of Information 2005 need to be repealed and new laws enacted.
It states that the Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa information commissions should ensure implementation of sections pertaining to proactive disclosure of information so maximum information is available in the public domain.
It also urged provinces to carry out effective public awareness campaigns to apprise people of their rights.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 5th, 2014.
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