RTI Act awareness project launched in South Punjab

Pakistan Today: Islamabad: Sunday, December 17, 2017.

The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency (PILDAT) in collaboration with the Punjab Information Commission has initiated an awareness project on the Punjab Transparency Right To Information Act (PTRTIA) 2013 in South Punjab.

The opening ceremony for PILDAT’s project titled “Enhancing Empowerment of Women and Minorities of South Punjab through Effective Use of Right to Information Law (RTI)” took place in Ghotvi Hall of Islamia University Bahawalpur with the help of district governments of Lodhran and Bahawalpur, a PILDAT press release said here Saturday.

The project is being implemented with the support of USAID Small Grants and Ambassador’s Fund Program and in collaboration with the Punjab Information Commission (PIC).

The key objective of the initiative is to create awareness on the PTRTIA not only among Public Information Officers of the South Punjab, but also its general population with the focus on women, religious minorities, media and civil society representatives in order to make them active users of the RTI Law.

Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training Engr Muhammad Baligh Ur Rehman, who was the chief guest at the ceremony, extended full support and appreciated the project and PILDAT’s continued efforts towards promoting the use of RTI.

He emphasized the use of RTI by civil society to carry out effective oversight of the law and its implementation, which would help ensure improved governance in the province.

Vice Chancellor of the Islamia University of Bahawalpur Professor Dr Qaiser Mushtaq, in his welcome address, acknowledged the PILDAT’s initiative to increase awareness on the use of RTI in South Punjab

In his opening remarks, PILDAT President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob elaborated the key features of the project commencing in South Punjab on the use of PTRTIA 2013 expected to start by April 2018.

Member National Assembly (MNA) Sabiha Nazim, Members Provincial Assembly (MPAs) Fauzia Ayub and Qazi Adnan Fareed, Deputy Director of the Punjab Information Commission Naeem Malik, former Punjab Information Commissioner Ahmed Raza Tahir, former KP Information Commissioner Professor Kalimullah Khan and local government representatives of Bahawalpur and Lodhran districts attended the ceremony.