What’s the point?

While it is an honour to be invited to participate in an event such as the International Day for Universal Access to Information, I had to sadly regret my participation on the following grounds. Pakistan always awaits international days to celebrate one or the other event. There is never a feeling that these are our own interests or concerns. Being such important issues we ought to have been working on them throughout the year, rather than awaiting an international day to indulge in a ceremonial participation.

I did not join this session as a mark of protest against the dysfunctional (dead) Sindh information Commission, which has not become operational despite the fact that the Sindh RTI law was passed in 2017. That being a true reflection of our interest in RTI, we may be only wasting time and money and a façade of celebrating RTI annual days. For a poor country like Pakistan, it may perhaps be better not to hold these awareness intended seminars in fancy five star hotels. The extensive usage of water, electricity, wasted food and one-time use plastic mineral water bottles give a huge carbon footprint to these VIP joints – places that all those interested in protecting environment should preferably stay away from.

Naeem Sadiq

Karachi