Commission directs Punjab govt to share info on Orange Line Project 

ISLAMABAD: The Punjab Information Commission has directed the Chief Minister Secretariat and other relevant provincial departments to share information with a complainant about the details of the cost and other aspects of the Metro Orange Line Train Project being executed in the provincial capital.

On a written complaint, the commission also issued notices to seven other government departments for non-provision of information regarding the cost, benefits and other details of the project. 

The notices have been issued to the Punjab Mass Transit Authority chairman, Communication and Works secretary,  Lahore Transport secretary,  Tourism secretary,  Environmental Protection Agency director general,  Lahore Developme Authority director general  and  NESPAK managing director.

“The applicant has alleged that he has not been provided the requested information, whereas the applications for access to information should have been decided within 14 working days under Section 10(7) of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act 2013,” says the notice issued by the Information Commissioner Mukhtar Ahmad Ali on Tuesday.

“You are called upon to either transfer the attached complaint to the public information
officer (PIO) designated under section of the act for supply of information or decide it yourself for being a deemed PIO if no such officer has been designated by you in your capacity as head of the organisation,” it reads.

The commission also called upon these provincial departments to ensure effective implementation of RTI law and devise a transparency mechanism to respond to information requests filed under the law.

The complainant Azhar Siddique had filed information requests with concerned provincial departments six times since October 2015, but did not receive any response for the authorities. He had asked 11 questions regarding the Metro Orange Line projects, including the cost and importance of Metro Orange Line Train Project. Any possible PPRA rules violation during the award of contract for the project, details of soft loan obtained etc.

The complainant claimed that Metro Orange Line Train Project was a costly project which may cost up to Rs250 billion.  “The amount to be spent on this project is a public money; hence, in view of Article 19-A read with Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act-2013, it is the right of citizens to know about the allocations of public exchequer,” he wrote in his application.

While contacted, the Punjab  Acting Secretary Information, Raja Jahangir, said the provincial government is ready to share information with the commission as it had already submitted details with the Lahore High Court (LHC).

“There is nothing secret about the Metro Orange Line Train Project, and the information sought by the commission would definitely be provided,” he said. Raja Jahangir said several cases are pending with the LHC regarding the project and the government had shared all the details with the court. He said sometimes the formatting of information becomes a problem which causes delay in provision of information. 

“Punjab Mass Transit Authority has all the information regarding the project, and the same will be provided soon,” he said adding that a study about the project had been done by a foreign company and it has 3,000 pages. 

Commenting on the Punjab’s RTI Law, the secretary information said the legislation has a flaw that any person can seek any information on a plain paper regardless of his or her stakes in the information. “Sometimes people seek information just to annoy the government instead of a genuine purpose,” he said.