ISLAMABAD:Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO) organized a training workshop titled ‘Right to Information’ for the members of Punjab Assembly.
Chief Information Commissioner Punjab, Mehboob Qadir Shah said, “Our first duty should be to provide all accurate information to the citizens. Every organization needs to digitize its system so that people can be informed immediately”. He said basic rights can be provided to ordinary citizens through the Right to Information Act, said a press release issued here.
Executive Director SSDO, Syed Kausar Abbas said every citizen has the basic right to ask where his or her tax money is being spent. He said right to information means empowering citizens by educating them. He said Parliamentarians can play an important role in the right to information because they meet people in their constituencies. He said institutions that talk about public issues should make everything public.
Mukhtar Ahmad Ali, former Punjab Information Commissioner said that, according to the Right to Information Act, if an institution does not provide information to the complainant within 14 days, a fine equal to two days salary is imposed against the officer of the concerned institution. The concept of asking questions can only be conceived in a democratic system.
Zafarullah Khan, former Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute for Parliamentary Services, said the rusty governance locks could be unlocked under the Right to Information Act. He said ordinary citizens can open locks under the Right to Information Act. It is not important to make a law unless it is implemented. He said there is a culture of incomplete talk in Pakistan. We have to bring change in the society by conveying accurate information to the people.
Director General Parliamentary Affairs Punjab Assembly, Inayatullah Lak, said in the workshop that after the 18th amendment, all the provinces have been given powers and every citizen has been given a basic right by including Article 19A in the 18th amendment. He said if a bill has to be passed by a province, it can be passed by a 2/3 majority in the province.
Punjab Parliamentarians Uzma Kardar, Syed Hassan Murtaza, Aon Hameed Dogar, Khalil Tahir Sandhu, Mian Shafi Muhammad, Malik Wasif Mazhar, Farah Agha, Asia Amjad, Seemabia Tahir, Bushra Butt, Sadia Sohail, Sumara Ahmed, Syeda Uzmi Qadri ,Sania Kamran, Barrister Wasim Khan Baduzai participated in the training workshop.