News International: Lahor: Friday, May 19, 2017.
Coalition on
Right to Information, a consortium of 52 civil society groups has demanded the
Punjab government to take proper steps for the implementation of the Punjab
Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013.
Executive
Director of an NGO Amer Ejaz, other members, including Tauqeer Mustafa, Zahid
Islam and Zahid Abdullah said citizens are facing serious challenges in
exercising their right to information as the Punjab government has not provided
staff to Punjab Information Commission to carry out its functions since the
enactment of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013. They
said ever since the completion of the tenure of information commissioners, new commissioners
have not been appointed as yet.
Addressing
reporters during a press conference here
at Lahore Press Club, Amer Ejaz said that without the active support of the
Punjab government, citizens’ right of access to information will remain a pipe dream.
Therefore, the Punjab government needs to take immediate steps for the
implementation of CRTI Charter of Demands.
Amer Ijaz
said the information commission in Punjab also faced many challenges like
funds, staff, etc during the last three years. He said only Rs1 million were
allocated for the advertisements and publicity of the working of the commission
which was very meagre to deal with such issues. He also highlighted that only
five officials were deputed at information commission in Punjab against a
sanctioned strength of 46.
Tauqeer
Mustafa said that citizens are losing confidence in the Punjab Transparency and
Right to Information Act 2013 as many public bodies have not designated public
information officers.
Even where
public information officers have been designated, there is no information
available about their particulars on the websites of public bodies.
Unavailability of requisite staff and delay in the appointment of information
commissioners has resulted in hundreds of pending complaints with Punjab
Information Commission, he lamented.
Zahid Islam
said democracy itself is weakened when citizens are unable to exercise their
right to know and they are kept in the dark about matters of public importance.
He said Punjab Right to Information Act 2013 needs to be strengthened. He said
no department/institute wanted to share information desired by the people. He
said it was a basic right of the people incorporated in the Constitution of the
country.
Zahid
Abdullah, Programme Manager, speaking on the occasion, said Punjab Information
Commission gave some landmark decision during its three-year tenure. He
demanded implementation of Right to Information Act 2013 in totality for the
facilitation of people.
On the
occasion, CRTI also made several demands for the Punjab government for the
implementation of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013,
including that Chief Information Commissioners and two information
commissioners at Punjab Information Commission be appointed on urgent basis in
line with criterion mentioned in Section 5 of the Punjab Transparency and Right
to Information Act 2013.
It also
demanded the government to approve service rules for Punjab Information
Commission so that it could recruit staff to carry out its functions, provide
requisite staff to Punjab Information Commission.
It also
demanded the Punjab government to instruct public bodies to implement Section 4
of Punjab RTI law pertaining to proactive disclosure of information through
websites and provide necessary funds to public bodies in this regard.
Furthermore,
the speakers demanded the Punjab government to ensure that public information
officers are designated and notified in all public bodies as required by
Section 7 of the law and in line with the guidelines issued by the commission
and also ensure that their contact details are easily accessible through notice
boards, websites and publications. Public information officers should be
designated by post and not by name to ensure continuity in case of retirement,
transfer or death of a public information officer, they concluded.
tribute:
Punjab University’s Centre for South Asian Studies (CSAS) in collaboration with
Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation organised a 10th international seminar “Dr BR
Ambedkar’s Role to Empower Women” in connection with Dr Bhim Rao Ambedkar Day.
Social
activist from Ahmadabad, India Ms Manjula Pradeep, Dr Parmod Kumar and Dr Anu
Mehra from University of Delhi, India, Mangesh Raj Dahiwale from University of
Pune, India, ex-VC of Sargodha University Dr Muhammad Akram Chaudhry, Director
CSAS Prof Dr Umbreen Javaid, faculty members, MPhil/PhD scholars and a large of
students were present on the occasion.
Ms Manjula
Paradeep said Ambedkar influenced a wide range of population all over the
world. Dr Parmod Kumar said Dr Ambedkar emphasised on equal wages for female
labour, equal rights of education and right to own property for women.
Dr Anu Mehra
from University of Delhi said Dr Ambedkar himself had to face discrimination,
formed the Constitution of India and legislated to empower women and to grant
many rights to strengthen their role in society.
Mangesh Raj
Dahiwale acknowledged the services of Dr Ambedkar to work for the empowerment
of women, abolishing caste system and upholding minority rights.
Dr Muhammad
Akram Ch quoted many references from the religious book of Hindus “Manu Smriti”
in which it was ordained to suppress women and Dr Ambedkar in that society
struggled for the rights of women.
Prof Dr
Umbreen Javaid paid homage to Dr Ambedkar and thanked Sir Ganga Ram Heritage
Foundation, Lahore to continuously organising seminar every year.
interviews:
Punjab Minister for Primary & Secondary Health Kh Imran Nazir Thursday
chaired a meeting to conduct interviews for the selection of Vice Chairmen and
Technocrats for District Health Authorities of various districts in Punjab.
According to
a handout, Secretary Services Farhan Ali Khawaja, Prof Faisal Masood and all
other members of the committee were present.
Museum Day:
National Museum of Science & Technology, which is under administrative
control of School Education Department Punjab, Thursday observed International
Museum Day.
Free entry to
general public was offered on the occasion while a large number of students
visited the museum and showed keen interest in items put on display in the
museum. According to the organisers, the day was observed with an aim to
promote science and technology related knowledge among the general public.
Ramazan
Bazaars: Lahore Deputy Commissioner Sumair Ahmed Syed said that private
companies of oil, beverages, spices and others will also set up their special
counters in 31 Ramazan Bazaars to sell their products on cheap rates.
Sumair Ahmed
Syed said these private companies had also set up their special stalls in
Ramazan Bazaars last year.