In this order by the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC), the case involved an appeal filed by Naeem Sadiq against the Pakistan Agriculture Storage and Service Corporation (PASSCO), seeking information about sanitation workers, their wages, registrations, and entitlements, as well as information about private security guards. PASSCO had initially argued that it was not a public body and, therefore, not subject to the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The PIC’s ruling clarified that PASSCO, despite its corporate structure, falls under the definition of a public body as it is administratively controlled by the Federal Government and undertakes public functions. The PIC rejected PASSCO’s argument that it is not a public body and ordered the release of the requested information within 10 days. The order emphasized that the information sought did not enjoy any exemption from disclosure under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.