Missing persons info to be given within three days

20-year record to be automatically put into public domain; Senate body adopts Right to Information Bill

ISLAMABAD: Senate Select Committee on Tuesday unanimously adopted the Right to Information (RTI) Bill 2016 moved by the government as it made mandatory upon the state institutions concerned to provide information about the missing persons within three days.

Under the law, a three-member commission to be formed to hear the RTI request and it will entertain requests up to 20 years as the record older than 20 years will automatically pass into the public domain.

During the meeting held here under Senator Farhatullah Babar of PPP, members of the committee reviewed the bill clause-by-clause and unanimously adopted all amendments and recommendations.

The RTI bill is aimed at replacing the Freedom of Information Ordinance at the federal level. The proposed law recognises citizens’ right to know under the Constitution and to have access to information about the activities of the government.

Senator Babar was of the view that the draft law would greatly help citizens in securing the maximum information and would also go a long away in addressing the issue of missing persons.

He maintained under the bill, there would be no exemption regarding human right issues or corruption in the guise of national security.Senator Babar pointed out that in case a person was picked and killed by security agencies, the agencies would no longer be able to use ‘national security’ as an excuse not to provide information on the matter.

He further said that no information that pertained to matters of fundamental human rights would be allowed to be withheld.State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Marriyam Aurangzeb maintained that information regarding national security, foreign relations and national interests would not be made public under the new proposed law.

The Right to Information Bill would be tabled in parliament during the next session.The proposed law recognises citizens’ ‘right to know’ and right to information about the government’s activities: aims to facilitate those seeking information on government’s activities and ensuring transparency; seeks to protect whistleblowers who want to expose corruption in public and security institutions, seeks to ensure that information on missing persons is provided within three days of request.

It also seeks to ensure that information on missing persons is provided in writing by the relevant institution within three days of a request for information.The bill also includes provisions for the protection of whistleblowers, as any person associated with a public entity who raises a flag on corruption and misappropriations in that entity will be protected under the law, and will receive immunity from prosecution in related cases.

Whistleblowers from security institutions will receive similar protection.A three-member commission with the power to order public bodies to disclose information and provide records will be formed to hear the RTI requests. The commission will consist of three members: once each from the judiciary, bureaucracy and civil society.

The commission will entertain requests for records from the past 20 years, as records older than 20 years will automatically pass into the public domain.The prime minister will appoint members to the commission.

A standing committee of the Senate and the National Assembly will have the authority to remove members of the commission. Penal action will be taken against members of the commission in case they deliberately destroy any records.