Senior Journalist Muhammad Irshad Appointed as KP Information Commissioner
PESHAWAR: Senior journalist Muhammad Irshad has been appointed as the Information Commissioner in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Information Commission. His appointment fills a crucial position that had been vacant since July 14, 2022. Irshad, a veteran journalist, served as Editor of Daily Mashriq Peshawar, bringing with him extensive experience in the field of journalism.
Irshad’s appointment is made under Section 24(4)(b) of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013. The law mandates the inclusion of a person from civil society with at least fifteen years of experience in mass communication, academia, or right to information as one of the commissioners. This appointment marks another instance of journalists contributing to the operationalization of transparency and the right to information in the province. Notably, senior journalist Riaz Daudzai previously served in the same role.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission is an independent statutory body established under the Right to Information Act, 2013. It is tasked with ensuring transparency and the public’s right to access information from government departments. The Commission comprises three members. Under Section 24 of the Right to Information Act, the KP Information Commission is required to function with operational and administrative autonomy. The Chief Information Commissioner is mandated to be a retired senior government servant of at least BPS-20 rank, while the two other members include a legal expert qualified to serve as a High Court judge and a civil society representative.
Despite Irshad’s appointment, the KP Information Commission continues to operate with one vacancy. The post of Information Commissioner (Legal) has remained unfilled since November 2019, underscoring the need for further action to fully staff the Commission and ensure its effective functioning.
The appointment of Muhammad Irshad is expected to strengthen the Commission’s efforts to promote transparency and accountability in governance. However, stakeholders continue to urge the government to address the remaining vacancy to ensure the Commission’s full operational capacity.
