The News International: Islamabad: Friday, April 27, 2018.
As their
five-year term is nearing end, both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are falling short of fulfilling their
promise of introducing transparency in government through right to information
(RTI) laws.
Despite
enacting the RTI laws, both the federal and Sindh governments have failed to
establish information commissions within the time span prescribed by the
respective laws. Meanwhile, the RTI laws are effectively operating in Punjab
and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the last four years and their positive impact on
governance has already been noted by the experts and citizens.
The federal
government was legally bound to establish appellate forum within six months so
that citizens could effectively utilise RTI laws. However, the PML-N government
could not fulfil its legal obligation until April 16, 2018. The federal ‘Right
of Access to Information Act, 2017’ was enacted on October 16, 2017.
According to
the section 18, the prime minster is responsible to establish information
commission within six months. Unfortunately six months have elapsed, but little
has been done for establishment of information commission. With this,
commitment of the federal government with transparency, openness and public
accountability becomes questionable.
Similarly,
the PPP government in Sindh was supposed to set up information commission
within 100 days. The provincial government enacted the Sindh Transparency and
Right to Information Act, 2016 on April 12, 2017. According to section 12 of
the said act, the chief minister is entitled to establish information
commission within 100 days.
However, one
year has passed, but the Sindh government has not set up the information
commission. Information commissions are independent appellate bodies which
exercise the powers of civil court. Such appellate forums are crucial for
strong enforcement mechanism and free flow of information between public and
government departments.
Information
commissions are oversight bodies responsible for deciding complaints filed by
citizens over non-provision of information by the public bodies and spreading
awareness about RTI. Not only this, the commission can even penalise a public
official for not disclosing the information related to public matters. The
federal and Sindh RTI laws are effective which await rightful implementation.
The civil society oganisations have criticised both parties for failing to
honour the respective laws.
Centre for
Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a non-governmental organisation
working on the issues of development and peace, has urged Prime Minister Shahid
Khaqan Abbasi and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to establish information
commissions.
“Both governments
are classic examples of violating laws made by their own cabinet. The federal
and Sindh RTI laws grant public access to information held by the government
departments. If implemented, these laws will promote transparency, openness and
citizen participation,” the CPDI said.
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