ISLAMABAD: The Balochistan Information Secretary on Monday said that the provincial government has committed to notify the Balochistan Information Commission and the rules of the RTI act in the next 15 days.
The meeting of the National Forum of Information Commissioners (NFIC) convened by the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) was held here with the participation of serving information commissioners across the country, said a news release.
Information Secretary, Balochistan Hamza Shafqaat said that Public Information Officers (PIO) have been appointed/ nominated in all public bodies by the order of the Chief Secretary, and rules have been drafted and vetted by the law department.
The Ministerial committee received the draft rules in February, and a select committee has been established to oversee the process. He further added that the Balochistan Commission and the rules of the Balochistan RTI Act 2021 will be notified within the next two weeks, marking a significant step forward in promoting transparency and accountability in the province.
The commissioners reiterated their commitment to promoting transparency and accountability, with a focus on ensuring public access to information.
Executive Director CPDI, Mukhtar Ahmad Ali provided an overview of the historical and legislative landscape of the right to information and freedom of information in the country.
He emphasized that the emergence of RTI in the country was the biggest reform in contemporary times, representing a transformation from secrecy to transparency.
He demanded that governments ensure administrative and budgetary support of Information Commissions so that appellate bodies can perform their duties in an optimal manner.
During the event, Chief Information Commissioner, Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui discussed the progress and challenges of the Pakistan Information Commission. He identified several key challenges, including a shortage of staff and sanctioned posts, low levels of awareness among citizens, delayed appointments of information commissioner, and delays in finalizing service rules.
He said that these challenges are currently being addressed by the Commission as it continues to work towards ensuring that citizens have access to the information they need.
Chief Information Commissioner of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa RTI Commission, Farah Hamid expressed her concerns about the Commission’s prolonged lack of quorum, which has resulted in its dysfunction.
Despite this setback, Farah noted that the Commission is actively striving to enhance public awareness, especially among women citizens, through the use of proactive disclosure and innovative information technology.
Chief Information Commissioner of the Sindh Information Commission, Dr. Syed Jawaid Ali acknowledged the challenges faced by the Commission in promoting the right to information due to a lack of public awareness.
However, he highlighted recent progress, including the appointment of 19 out of 56 designated Public Information Officers and the successful resolution of 48 out of 166 complaints received in the last five months.
He added that they are also improving the website of the Sindh Information Commission. Dr. Ali reiterated the Commission’s commitment to promoting transparency and accountability in government and pledged its support to citizens seeking information.
Chief Information Commissioner of Punjab Information Commission, Mahboob Qadir Shah shared the landmark orders that have shattered bureaucratic inertia in Punjab. He put special emphasis on the establishment of websites to ensure proactive disclosure of Information as per the RTI act.
During the interactive session, Farhat Ullah, a former senator, emphasized the critical role of information commissions in upholding democracy in the country.
He proposed incentivizing the use of RTI to encourage greater participation from the public and called for fully functional information commissions.
He further recommended that government departments prioritize proactive disclosure of information.
Drawing upon recent cases such as the Toshakhana case, Farhat Ullah suggested that RTI can help address democratic disruptions within the system.