Ensuring Transparency

through Access to
Information

August 18, 2009

What is Transparency?
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From a western perspective it is a
patronizing discourse; but, in our
particular context it should be citizen’s
access to information and enhancing their
understanding of decision making
processes at the state and governmental
level
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Why Access to Information?
 Informed Participation of Citizens: To expand the
choices for people -substantive (food, health etc.) and
instrumental (free speech, transparency etc.) freedoms
inclusive

 Check against Mismanagement and Corruption: To
check the vested interest groups / individuals from
manipulating the resources scot free
 To assess the validity & usability of government’s projects in
order to take timely corrective measures and to watch
people’s interest

 To Build People’s Confidence:To take away
unnecessary discretion from civil machinery to delay
or deny the services
 Mechanisms of Transparency in
Democratic Countries
Freedom of Information Legislation
Administrative Procedures Laws / Rules of
Business
Televised Parliamentary Debates
Published Government Audit Reports
Advertised Government Positions / Transparent
Recruitment Policies / Publicly available
process
Up-to-date and publicly available Monitoring
Reports of Public Accounts Committees of the
Legislatures

What Hampers Transparency?
Discretion without accountability
Redundant and innumerable rules/procedures
Lack of timely and publicly available
information
Lack of resources and political readiness to
publish information
Lack of structures and strategies to make
information accessible to the disadvantaged
Lack of the democratic and egalitarian culture
in the government and the society at large–
the Naukershahi/ICS mindset
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Correction Needed
No access to information unless language(s) of
information is/are not widely understood
Access to information is the first step but the
crux of the matter lies in the ability to analyse
the information that is accessed to the
benefit of the people
Information about procurement, sales and
recruitment to public positions should be
open to be accessed and scrutinized
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 “Those days have gone when the country
was ruled by the bureaucracy. It is people’s
government . . .”

 “You do not belong to the ruling class, you
belong to the servants. Make the people feel
that you are their servants and friends,
maintain the highest standard of honour,
integrity, justice and fair-play . . . ”