KPIC organizes training for PIOs on RTI act

PESHAWAR, Nov 04 (APP):Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission (KPIC) here Wednesday organized two training sessions for Public Information Officers (PIOs) of Peshawar-based public bodies with an objective to strengthen implementation of KP Right to Information (RTI) Act and ensure the timely provision of information to citizens.

More than 40 Public Information Officers (PIOs) participated in the training sessions focusing on the handling of citizens’ RTI requests in accordance with provisions of the law.

Deputy Director Communication, KPIC, Syed Saadat Jehan  delivered a comprehensive presentation on KP RTI Act highlighting its key provisions, the current state of its implementation in the province, and responsibilities of PIOs in facilitating citizens’ access to information.

Deputy Registrar KPIC, Nazim Shahab Qamar, explained the categories of exempted information under act and provided guidance on processing RTI requests within the prescribed time frame. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring compliance with Section 4 and 5 of the KP RTI Act, that bound the public bodies to properly index the record and proactively disclose information on their respective websites.

The Information Commissioner (Judicial) KPIC, Arshad Ahmad responded to participants’ queries and assured them of commission’s continued support and guidance in addressing challenges related to information retrieval and any difficulties or reluctance encountered in providing information within their respective departments.

At the conclusion of the training sessions, Chief Information Commissioner KP, Syed Nazar Hussain Shah thanked the participants for their active participation and emphasized that PIOs play a vital role in ensuring the effective implementation of RTI act in its true spirit.

He underscored the importance of their commitment to transparency, accountability and timely access to information for citizens.