DIG fined for not providing info about retired big cops

LAHORE: The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) has imposed Rs25,000 fine on DIG Crimes Jawad Ahmad Dogar for not providing information to an applicant under the Right To Information (RTI) Act about the official residences, vehicles and police force provided to the retired IGs, DIGs and other senior officers during the past five years.

Chief Information Commissioner Mahboob Qadir Shah said in his order that non-implementation of the RTI Act by Jawad Dogar as the Punjab Police chief public information officer was a slap in the face of the law of the land.

Giving his decision in Imran Iftikhar Vs. Punjab Police case, the chief commissioner ordered for providing the required information to the applicant in three days. He warned that if the information was not provided to the applicant in the given time period, Rs25,000 more fine would be imposed on DIG Jawad Dogar. The chief commissioner said in his order that if the police wanted to keep secret the information about illegal provision of official residences and other facilities to its retired senior officers, then the RTI Act should be thrown into a dustbin. Complainant Imran Iftikhar had submitted an application with the Police Department for provision of information under the RTI Act 2013 about allotment of official residences, vehicles and police force to the retired IGs and DIGs by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab office during the past five years.

The applicant also sought information about the official residences and vehicles currently in the use of CCPOs and DPOs. He also requested for provision of copies of the notices, issued to the retired IGs, DIGs and other senior officers for vacating the official residences. However, in reply to the application under the RTI Act, Chief Public Information Officer DIG Jawad Dogar replied that provision of required information could pose threats to the life of the retired police officers. Therefore, he had the right to withhold such information under the law. The Punjab Information Commission had called DIG Jawad Dogar for April 5 to prove the exemption given to him under the law, but he did not show up.