- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Jul 23 (APP):The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has issued show cause notices to senior officers of various federal public bodies for their continued non-compliance with the provisions of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The decision comes in the wake of repeated failures by these officials to appear before the Commission and provide public information requested by citizens under the law.
In an order passed in Appeal No. 3875-08/24 titled Farooq Dawood vs Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA), the Commission noted that it had received yet another request for extension from the designated officer of MOFA. This follows several previous requests for adjournments, which have already caused significant delay in the disposal of the appeal—delays the Commission stated are contrary to the spirit of the law. Taking serious notice of this pattern of non-cooperation, the Commission has issued a show cause notice under Section 20(1)(f) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 to the designated officer (Spokesperson), asking him to explain why proceedings should not be initiated against him for non-compliance.
The Commission has also directed to issue show cause notice to the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, who is also the designated Public Information Officer, under the same section of the Act. The Commission has further ordered that the Secretary of MOFA, as head of the public body, be informed that if no response is received from the Ministry, the matter will be decided ex-parte.
In a similar move, the Commission has issued show cause notices under Section 20(1)(f) of the Act to the Chief Executive Officer of Islamabad Electric Supply Company (IESCO), the Executive Director of the Federal Government Polyclinic Postgraduate Medical Institute, the Managing Director of the National Transmission and Dispatch Company (NTDC), and the Public Information Officer of the National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA). These show cause notices were issued due to the continuous absence of these officers during scheduled hearings of the Commission, despite the issuance of multiple notices, and their failure to provide the information requested by citizens.
The Commission expressed its displeasure over the non-appearance of officers of public bodies, emphasizing that such behavior causes undue delays in the provision of public information to citizens who are exercising their right under the law. The Commission reiterated that this non-compliance undermines the fundamental right of citizens to access information.
The Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 guarantees every citizen the right to access public records held by federal public bodies, in accordance with Article 19-A of the Constitution of Pakistan.