The News International: Islamabad:
Saturday, June 25, 2016.
Punjab
Information Commission has directed the Chief Minister Secretariat and other
relevant provincial departments to share information with a complainant about
the details of the cost and other aspects of the Metro Orange Line Train
Project being executed in the provincial capital.
On a written
complaint, the commission also issued notices to seven other government
departments for non-provision of information regarding the cost, benefits and
other details of the project.
The notices
have been issued to the Punjab Mass Transit Authority chairman, Communication
and Works secretary, Lahore Transport
secretary, Tourism secretary, Environmental Protection Agency director
general, Lahore Developme Authority
director general and NESPAK managing director.
“The
applicant has alleged that he has not been provided the requested information,
whereas the applications for access to information should have been decided
within 14 working days under Section 10(7) of the Punjab Transparency and Right
to Information Act 2013,” says the notice issued by the Information
Commissioner Mukhtar Ahmad Ali on Tuesday.
“You are
called upon to either transfer the attached complaint to the public information officer (PIO) designated under section of the
act for supply of information or decide it yourself for being a deemed PIO if
no such officer has been designated by you in your capacity as head of the
organisation,” it reads.
The
commission also called upon these provincial departments to ensure effective
implementation of RTI law and devise a transparency mechanism to respond to
information requests filed under the law.
The
complainant Azhar Siddique had filed information requests with concerned
provincial departments six times since October 2015, but did not receive any
response for the authorities. He had asked 11 questions regarding the Metro
Orange Line projects, including the cost and importance of Metro Orange Line
Train Project. Any possible PPRA rules violation during the award of contract
for the project, details of soft loan obtained etc.
The
complainant claimed that Metro Orange Line Train Project was a costly project
which may cost up to Rs250 billion. “The
amount to be spent on this project is a public money; hence, in view of Article
19-A read with Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act-2013, it is the
right of citizens to know about the allocations of public exchequer,” he wrote
in his application.
While
contacted, the Punjab Acting Secretary
Information, Raja Jahangir, said the provincial government is ready to share
information with the commission as it had already submitted details with the
Lahore High Court (LHC).
“There is
nothing secret about the Metro Orange Line Train Project, and the information
sought by the commission would definitely be provided,” he said. Raja Jahangir
said several cases are pending with the LHC regarding the project and the
government had shared all the details with the court. He said sometimes the
formatting of information becomes a problem which causes delay in provision of
information.
“Punjab Mass
Transit Authority has all the information regarding the project, and the same
will be provided soon,” he said adding that a study about the project had been
done by a foreign company and it has 3,000 pages.
Commenting on
the Punjab’s RTI Law, the secretary information said the legislation has a flaw
that any person can seek any information on a plain paper regardless of his or
her stakes in the information. “Sometimes people seek information just to annoy
the government instead of a genuine purpose,” he said.