Islamabad:
The free and fair electoral network (FAFEN) has requested reforms to address the gaps in the implementation of the Punjab Transparency Law and the right to information (Ptria) 2013.
In a policy report entitled “Strengthen the RTI Marco in Punjab”, Fafen urges a close collaboration between the Punjab Assembly, the Punjab Information Commission and civil society to transform the promise of Ptria in practice.
The policy summary is part of the campaign to “counteract misinformation through the information” of Fafen.
As Pakistan fights with a growing misinformation that often feeds political polarization, strengthening RTI Marcos is vital to restore public confidence and guarantee equitable access to information.
Acclaimed as a progressive law, Ptria faces implementation challenges rooted in legal ambiguities and institutional weakness.
Fafen’s evaluations about its implementation reveal that about 80 percent of government departments were not clear about their obligation to publish annual compliance reports under Ptria, while most public bodies did not respond to FAFEN information requests within the legally stipulated response time.
The policy summary highlights the critical legal and operational challenges, including the discretionary controls of the provincial government on the appointment and elimination of the information commissioners and the budget allocation for the PIC.
In addition, the vague or missing definition of key terms, such as “work days” and “public body”, run the risk of arbitrary interpretation that can undermine the spirit of the law.
In addition, the absence of standardized record maintenance formats, underdeveloped digital complaints mechanisms and inadequate privacy protections for applicants further weaken the application of the law.
To address these problems, Fafen proposes amendments to the Ptria, including the clearest definitions to cover private entities that receive public funds and government contracts, safeguards for complainants and provisions for requests of RTIS.
The Brief Installs to the Punjab Assembly to establish a bipartisan committee to appoint the information commissioners and create an independent fund to guarantee the financial autonomy of the Commission.
It also recommends empowering the commission to issue binding directives on record management, carrying out inspections and adopting a five -year strategic plan to institutionalize transparency.
Emphasizing the role of technology, Fafen also recommends a functional online complaints and standardized digital disseminations to improve accessibility.
Sustained public awareness campaigns are proposed through media and community participation to educate citizens and officials about RTI’s rights and obligations.
