Investigative and data journalism 1

To provide for the right to information in a transparent and effective manner, subject only

to reasonable restrictions imposed by law

Shahryar Awan

S2018-048

Supervisor:

Mubashir Bukhari

B.A (Hons)

SCHOOL OF MEDIA AND MASS COMMUNICATION

BEACONHOUSE NATIONAL UNIVERSITY, LAHORE

30th-04-2021
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Summary: -

This document talks about the expedient for providing transparency and effective expression in

order to ensure the working dynamics of public information accessed by the citizens residing

within the premises of Pakistan. Furthermore the documented bill reinforces the notion of

Pakistan's constitution under the act of article 19A which states that all citizens have the right to

transparent information with the idea of limitation imposed by the law. The act is labeled as

“Right to information act, 2017” applicable on the federal bodies that come under the ambit of

Pakistan’s law for the reduction of corruption, and inefficiency in government as a critique by

the citizens on which laws are applied. As the result of a notion unacceptable by the applicant

(citizen) an appeal (grievance) is given in a written document to the information commission

under “section 17”. Information, whereas is the oxygen of any democracy for the process of

decision making and the formulation of opinionating it cannot be compromised by biased means.

The document is classified in explaining the elements of the bill, for the clear understanding of the legal

notion. It revolves around the promotion of a two way flow of information from the government to the

people and from people to the government for the safeguarding of citizens “RIGHT TO KNOW” as a

fundamental right of the public. RTI is stated as the universally recognized right for any democratic

dispensation. Giving access to public records that come under the law with the exception of any

disclosure to national material that is harmful for the sovereignty of the country and its people.
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The document further explains about the functionality of legal bodies stating its role with embedded

official hierarchy and their roles, in relation to the legal producings with explaining the jorgans like

Information commission, understanding the definition of information, designated officials, public officer,

public bodies, what is record, the ideation of making request and the notion right to the access of

information. Also stating that the appeal made by the applicant shall not be denied with reasonable

backing, and any piece of information should be updated for maintaining the index of information in

accordance with being answerable to the public.

The Publication of the record and maintaining its record on any technological platform should be detailed

by explaining the duties and responsibilities of the officials and public bodies/organizations, with rules

and regulations of relevant facts-figures included in the background also stating the budgeting of the

public body with visual and written evidence. The document explains about the declarations of public

record for providing transparency to the transactions involving property matters and expenditures done by

the public bodies, also stating grants of licensing made by the public body. Giving access to the final

decision making by the public bodies to the public for maintaining an essence of transparency, further the

document explains the ideation of exclusion of certain records and computerization of the voluntary

disclosure of the record under a certain time as described by the section 5.

The document states about the designated officials and what affairs they have obtained in order to grasp

the essence of the bill. No official should be under the rank of BPS-19. The basic duty assigned to the

official is to assist the applicant. The requests of the applicants are taken to the public body via officials in

the form of writing with the structure properly followed by the applicant and the offcial. The procedure

for the acceptance or refusal of the requests depends on the provision of the act religiously followed in the

writing. Also including if the information is already available on the platform. Whereas it is accepted if

the writing is passed by the designated official with payment entitled to the application. Before the refusal

of the writing the designated official has to take the approval of the principal officer. According to the
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provision the body shall respond to the applicant as soon as possible, where the information will be

disclosed to the applicant after the applicant pays the prescribed fee. Exempted information according to

this act will not be provided to the applicant by the public body. it can also be exempted if the information

provided can result as offense in the aftermath of the disclosure. It can also be exempted if the

information provided can threaten the privacy of any identifiable individual. It can also be exempted to

the applicant if it is guardian of the third party involved in the affair with the requested information via

the prescribed channel.

Furthermore it will also be exempted if the provided information will damage commercial activities of the

law. The information commission will enjoy autonomy and will be established within the 6 months of the

implementation of the act by the PM of Pakistan. Functions of the information commission includes a

user friendly manual in English and Urdu. It also includes the compilation of bi-annual reports, ensuring

all information should be made public under section 5, for powers of the information includes monitoring

of the compilation, cooperation with public officials, conduction inquiries of the appeal and appointing its

employees in prescribed manner. For the funding procedure the federal government will allocate a budget

to the information commission. Those interfering with the work of the information commission will be

labelled as offenders. And destroying a record without any lawful bodies the act will be punishable to the

offender. Indemnity will be provided to the officials and principal officers. The document also explains

the details of recruitment in the information commission done under the federal public service ordinance

1977. Power to make rules and act to overwrite other laws will also be allotted.

The act in essence explains the legal boundaries that have been followed, with giving details of the

technical terms and the legal proceeding of the RTI with transparency. Access to information is an

essential prerequisite of the people for the notion of having an ideal and transparent government, which is

possible with proper access to the public records.

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