Peshawar: Pakistan’s transparency watchdog, the Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA), launched a comparative review of the Right to Information (RTI) Act implementation. The report reveals a significant disparity in information access across provinces.
The CGPA submitted information requests to various public bodies in all four provinces and the federal government. The federation led with a 72% success rate in providing timely information, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (45%), Punjab (33%), Sindh (24%), and Balochistan (3.7%).
However, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission raised concerns about the study’s methodology. Secretary Anis-ur-Rehman argued that applications should have targeted the same specific institutions across provinces for a more accurate comparison.
Deputy Registrar Nazim Shahab Qamar highlighted that commission performance extends beyond complaints, encompassing application reviews, awareness initiatives, proactive information disclosure, and complaint resolution.
Syed Saadat Jahan elaborated on their efforts to raise public awareness through educational institution programs, radio/TV broadcasts, and social media campaigns.
This review highlights the uneven progress in RTI implementation across Pakistan. While the federal government and some provinces show promise, others lag behind.
