Federal, Sindh govts miss deadline for information commission formation

ISLAMABAD: As their five-year term is nearing end, both the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) are falling short of fulfilling their promise of introducing transparency in government through right to information (RTI) laws.

Despite enacting the RTI laws, both the federal and Sindh governments have failed to establish information commissions within the time span prescribed by the respective laws. Meanwhile, the RTI laws are effectively operating in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the last four years and their positive impact on governance has already been noted by the experts and citizens.

The federal government was legally bound to establish appellate forum within six months so that citizens could effectively utilise RTI laws. However, the PML-N government could not fulfil its legal obligation until April 16, 2018. The federal ‘Right of Access to Information Act, 2017’ was enacted on October 16, 2017.

According to the section 18, the prime minster is responsible to establish information commission within six months. Unfortunately six months have elapsed, but little has been done for establishment of information commission. With this, commitment of the federal government with transparency, openness and public accountability becomes questionable.

Similarly, the PPP government in Sindh was supposed to set up information commission within 100 days. The provincial government enacted the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016 on April 12, 2017. According to section 12 of the said act, the chief minister is entitled to establish information commission within 100 days.

However, one year has passed, but the Sindh government has not set up the information commission. Information commissions are independent appellate bodies which exercise the powers of civil court. Such appellate forums are crucial for strong enforcement mechanism and free flow of information between public and government departments.

Information commissions are oversight bodies responsible for deciding complaints filed by citizens over non-provision of information by the public bodies and spreading awareness about RTI. Not only this, the commission can even penalise a public official for not disclosing the information related to public matters. The federal and Sindh RTI laws are effective which await rightful implementation. The civil society oganisations have criticised both parties for failing to honour the respective laws.

Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI), a non-governmental organisation working on the issues of development and peace, has urged Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to establish information commissions.

“Both governments are classic examples of violating laws made by their own cabinet. The federal and Sindh RTI laws grant public access to information held by the government departments. If implemented, these laws will promote transparency, openness and citizen participation,” the CPDI said.