SHC stays PIC directives for disclosing 1,000 loan defaulters

LAHORE: The Sindh High Court has issued an interim stay order on the directives of Pakistan Information Commission with regard to disclosure of the list of 1,000 big loan defaulters by the Governor State Bank of Pakistan.

The State Bank had challenged the Pakistan Information Commission’s directives to SBP for disclosure of 1,000 top loan defaulters.

The SBP counsel submitted that such disclosure cannot be made public as such information has been exempted under section 7(d) the Right to Information law and banking companies laws.

The bank counsel also questioned the constitution of information commission bench and submitted the commission should comprise three members but the decision of the commission was issued by two members.

The court has directed the information commission and others to file their respective replies on October 22.

Chief Information Commissioner of Pakistan Shoaib Siddiqui, when contacted about the decision, said that Pakistan Information Commission has issued the decision to disclose the names of 1,000 big debt defaulters keeping in view the law and all regulations.

He said that many decisions of the Pakistan Information Commission have been challenged in the high courts in the past as well, but due to being in accordance with the law, the courts have dismissed the cases.

The Pakistan Information Commission had issued directives on the application of a citizen and asked the SBP to disclose the list of 1,000 big loan defaulters and submit it to the commission.

The State Bank officials did not disclose the

said information despite the orders of the commission. The commission initiated the proceedings against the State Bank officials under Section 20(F) of the Federal Right to Access to Information Act, 2017.