The Managing Director, Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited was directed to provide following requested information/documents to the Appellant about development scheme to lay down gas pipelines in Haveli Lakha, district Okara, inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of Pakistan Mir Zafar Ullah Khan between 2002-2004:
- Tendering Information including advertisement, comparative statements and work order.
- Approved proposed plan of the scheme (map and drawing)
- Approved detailed cost estimate.
- Completion plan.
- Data of work started and completion date.
- 1 The commission held that it has already established through its Order on Appeal No. 171-11/19 in the case of Muhammad Waseem Elahi VS Sui Northern Gas Private Limited that the Respondent SNGPL is a public body as it is “engaged in the business of Transmission, Distribution and Sale of gas”. The Respondent receives public funds from national exchequer for the development of infrastructure for Transmission, Distribution and Sale of gas.
- 1 The Respondent is also a public body as according to its own web site, the President of Pakistan has more than 31 percent shares in SNGPL. As such, the Respondent is a public body under Section 2 (d) of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 which is as under:
“Any incorporated or unincorporated body of the Federal Government functioning under the control or authority of another public body or wherein once or more public bodies own or have controlling interest or provide substantial funding;”
The Respondent is also a public body in accordance with the Section 2 (5) of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 which is as under:
“Any other organization which undertakes a public function, to extent of that function;”.