Provincial institutions still do not disclose their administrative, functional and financial information on their websites
KARACHI:
It has been eight years since the Sindh Assembly passed the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2016, but most government departments in the province are yet to implement it effectively.
According to Article 6 of the law, all public institutions working under the provincial government must provide information on their administrative structure, functions and financial affairs through their official websites. The purpose of the law was to ensure transparency and allow citizens easy access to public information. However, many departments have not met these requirements, and even the Sindh Assembly itself has not fully implemented the law it passed.
Earlier this year, the Sindh Assembly hosted a Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference and spent significant public funds, but details of the expenditure were not published on its website. The website also lacks information on the number of employees of the assembly and its annual cost, as well as the millions of rupees paid to members each year in salaries and benefits.
A similar situation exists in many other government departments. Under the law, public bodies must keep their websites regularly updated with details about their responsibilities, standards, budgets and expenditures. However, a review of several departmental websites shows that updates are infrequent or completely nonexistent.
Some of the largest departments in the province include the Department of Local Government, the Department of Health and the Department of Education. The Department of Local Government website has recently displayed a “maintenance works” message for several days. The Local Government Board website was last updated on December 13, 2024, while the Department of Health website often does not open. The Department of Universities website shows its most recent notification dated August 8, 2025, indicating a lack of regular updates.
The law also allows citizens to request information directly from government departments. However, many people who tried to obtain information in this way experienced delays or did not receive the requested details. As a result, citizens often have to lodge complaints with the Sindh Information Commission.
According to Saleem Khan, commissioner of the Sindh Information Commission, more than 1,600 complaints against various departments have been filed with the commission since 2023. Of them, approximately 1,500 have been resolved. Under the law, if a government department fails to provide information within the specified time frame, the applicant can file a complaint with the commission. The commission then contacts the concerned department, obtains the information and provides it to the applicant.
Despite this mechanism, many people become discouraged by not receiving information and choose not to pursue the matter further. For example, Abdul Ahad Qureshi, a resident of Karachi, said he requested information from the Department of Education about a government school in his area but did not receive a response. “Due to my busy schedule, I do not have time to approach the commission or attend the hearings,” Qureshi said.
Meanwhile, the Sindh Information Commission has written to all departments of the provincial government, directing them to implement Section 6 of the law. The commission has also issued public notices instructing departments to post relevant information on their websites and warning that action could be taken if they do not comply.
Local lawyer Dr. Murtaza Khuhro has also filed petitions with the Sindh High Court challenging the lack of implementation of the law, and hearings are currently underway. “The Sindh government has shown little seriousness in enforcing the legislation. The law required the establishment of Sindh Information Commission offices in each district of the province, but none have been created so far,” Dr Khohro said.
“As of the third week of February, the post of Chief Information Commissioner remains vacant, further reflecting the government’s lack of commitment to implement the transparency law,” he added.
