Pildat holds consultation on Sustainable Development Goal 16

Workshop in Peshawar

PESHAWAR: At a consultation on “Sustainable Development Goal 16” organized here Thursday by the Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development And Transparency (Pildat), lawmakers said the President of Pakistan has yet to respond to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly resolution seeking extension of provincial laws to Malakand division.

Other lawmakers said after much delay the bill on domestic violence in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has been finalized and would be presented in the provincial assembly after vetting. The lawmakers, former government officials, members of the civil society organizations and journalists attended the consultation at a local hotel and gave their inputs about the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 16 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

Pildat’s joint director Asiya Riaz welcomed the invitees. Her colleagues Muhammad Saad also participated in the discussion.Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser chaired the session and after his departure the Deputy Speaker Dr Mehr Taj Roghani was in the chair moderating the discussion.

Lawmakers Jafar Shah from the Awami National Party (ANP), Sultan Muhammad Khan of Qaumi Watan Party (QWP) and Arif Yousaf of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf were among the lawmakers who actively took part in the workshop. A number of civil society activists also made their presence felt through their interventions during the discussion.

Abdul Matin, a former judge who until recently served as Information Commissioner at the Right to Information Commission, and Dr Shoaib Suddle, a former Inspector General of Police who also served as Director General FIA and Federal Ombudsman, were the two experts at the Pildat consultation. Abdul Matin highlighted the need for ensuring public access to information and protecting fundamental freedoms in accordance with national legislation and international agreements. Dr Shoaib Suddle stressed promotion of the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensuring equal justice for all.

The participants spoke about the lacunae in the Right to Information law as it doesn’t cover the high court and isn’t applicable in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) and Provincially Administered Tribal Areas (Pata). The provincial law department was accused of sitting on the proposed changes in the RTI law. The issue of the extension of the customs law in Malakand division was also discussed and so was the issue of domestic violence.