KP RTI, RTS laws termed classic legislation

PESHAWAR: The Citizen Integration Forum (CIF) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Services (RTS) Commission in collaboration with the Governance and Policy Project (GPP), a joint initiative of World Bank and Planning and Development Department (P&D), on Wednesday stressed the need for mass awareness for better implementation of the good governance agenda of the provincial government.

Member of the forum at the meeting also asked for more intensive engagement of the local bodies representatives to utilise the opportunities offered by the legislative instruments such RTS Act and Right to Information Act.

Taking up the agenda of the meeting, Vikram K. Chand, senior public sector management specialist, World Bank said that RTI & RTS Acts were the world class pieces of legislation enacted by the government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said these would enable the people to better integrate with the government departments and get their problems and grievances resolved.

Chief Commissioner RTI, Azmat Hanif Orakzai, said that the RTI law was being implemented in more than hundred countries of the world and fortunately Pakistan is among them. He said that it ensured the transparency and the accountability through access to information.

However, he stressed the need to quell fear among the Public Information Officers (PIOs) to disclose information sought by the requesters.Commissioner RTS Commission, Shah Sahib highlighted the importance of RTS Law and presented the list of 35 Upcoming Public Services which are going to be notified soon.

An interactive dialogue was later held among the representatives of RTI Commission, RTS Commission, Ehteesab Commission, Health department, Peshawar High Court, local elected representatives, technocrats, members of civil society, NGO’s, area elders, senior citizens
and media persons at the forum.