PIC submits reply to SHC stay order against exposing 1,000 big defaulters

LAHORE: The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has submitted its 46 para-wise comments in re-sponse to the Sindh High Court's (SHC) stay order against the commission's decision to disclose the list of 1,000 major defaulters.

The Pakistan Information Commission has requested the Sindh High Court that this decision was made in accordance with the requirements of law and justice, so the decision of the commission should be upheld. According to documents, the Pakistan Information Commission submitted these comments to the Ad-ditional Attorney General (D-II) Register No. 914/2024 in a case titled State Bank of Pakistan v. Federa-tion of Pakistan.

According to the documents, the State Bank raised objection to disclose the list of 1,000 big loan de-faulters by the commission, contending the decision to disclose the list of defaulters should have been made by the three members of the PIC, not two.

In response to the objection, the commission said that in sub-section 3 of rule 9 of the Right to Access to Information Rules, 2019, it is written that the quorum of the commission can be fulfilled by two commissioners.

In its comments, the commission has also said that the commission's order to disclose the list of big defaulters has been issued keeping in view all aspects of the law as it is a matter of public and econom-ic importance. Therefore, the plaintiff in this case (State Bank) is bound to implement the orders of the commission.

In the para wise comments submitted in the Sindh High Court, the Information Commission said that the plaintiff (State Bank) is a regulator and it is its duty to exercise its financial and economic powers in accordance with the law.

In response to the objection that the disclosure of this information will make the names of defaulters public and will affect other people as well, the commission said that it is only providing the information under the Information Act without breaching anyone's right or taking any action. Non-disclosure of this information is against the economic interest and discipline of the country with far-reaching conse-quences in various sectors.