PIC orders to make public information of prime ministers’ helicopter use on website
ISLAMABAD: Under the Section 5 of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017, the Cabinet Division is legally bound to publish information about Prime Ministers’ helicopter use on its website.
On the appeal of this scribe, the Pakistan Information Commission has ordered the cabinet division to share information about the helicopter use of Prime Minister Imran Khan and two former Prime Ministers – Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Mian Nawaz Sharif.
In January 2020, this scribe had filed an information request with the cabinet secretariat and sought information about the helicopter use of the incumbent and former Prime Ministers. The cabinet division excused to share the requested information and maintained that the requested information is exempted under Section 7(e) of the Act.
The said section of the act is about the exemption of the record related to defense forces, defense installations or connected therewith and ancillary to defense a national security.
On the appeal of this scribe, the commission sought explanation from the cabinet division and stated that mere reference to an exemption clause does not mean that a public body has acted in accordance with the provisions of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017.
Furthermore, if a record is exempted from public disclosure, reasons have to be recorded for exempting the record and producing before the commission for determination that the reasons are justifiable under Section 17 (4) of the Act.
In its order, the commission stated, that that the requested information does not fall within the scope of Section 7 (e) right of the Act as the Prime Minister uses helicopter to carry out official duties and its expenses are paid for by the taxes of the citizens of Pakistan.
PIC has directed the cabinet division to share the requested information with this scribe within 10 working days. Moreover, the public body is also directed to take immediate steps to proactively share the said information on its website under Section 5 of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 and submit the compliance report to the commission within one month.
