PIC issues show-cause notice to Interior ministry for not complying with its orders
Islamabad: The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has issued a show-cause notice to the Interior ministry for not complying with the orders of the Commission.
The Interior ministry through an order [dated October 13, 2020] was directed to provide footage of Matiullah Jan’s abduction incident to the applicant under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 but the concern ministry didn’t share the footage despite the passage of around two months.
It is to mention here that former PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar has made an appeal to the Commission against the Interior ministry for not sharing footage of Matiullah Jan’s abduction incident on his request under the RTI Law.
The Commission, in its show-cause notice, has directed the Interior ministry to share the requested information within 10 working days after receiving this show-cause notice.
The PIC, in its notice, also directed MOI Deputy Secretary (Law) and designated PIO under RTI law Nadeem Ahmed Bhatti to appear in person before the Commission on December 17 for explanations as to why proceedings may not be initiated against him under Section 20(2) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The section 20(2) of the RTI Act, 2017 states that non-compliance of a decision of the Information Commission under the clauses of (e) and (f) of sub-section (1) may, if it has not been appealed against within 30 days be dealt with in the same way as contempt of the court.
It is to mention here that former PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar, on July 22 this year, wrote an application requesting the Interior secretary to provide the closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of Matiullah Jan’s abduction incident.
Matiullah Jan was visiting Sector G-6 to drop his wife in a school on July 21 when unidentified persons intercepted him outside the school and took him to an identified location. However, later at night, he was freed after rights activists and the public took to social media to criticize the government and enforcement agencies. After not receiving response, the PPP senior leader filed an appeal to the Commission against the Interior ministry. The Commission after the issuance of notices and conducting hearing of the case now issued a show-cause notice directing the designated officer to appear before the Pakistan Information Commission.
