Public Information Officer, Benazir Income Support Program, (BISP) was directed to provide the remaining requested information about the consultants i.e., education, working experience, expertise, criteria and their procedure of appointment, duration of their services at PISP and certified copies of approval of such appointments from the relevant ministries, ensuring that their personal information such as phone numbers, addresses is not disclosed. The remaining requested information in para l about perks and privileges of the officers be provided to the appellant. The requested information about the profiles of board members also be provided to the appellant.
This commission is of the view that there is no legal provision in the Act which bars and official from representing a public body in the hearing even if the requested information pertains to the official. The Act requires designation of Public Information Officer under Section 9 of the Act to deal with information requests. In case a public body fails to notify a PIO, it is responsibility of the head of the public body to provide citizens the requested information under Section 9 of the Act.
The commission observed that the Respondent public body has not taken seps to ensure implementation of the Act. As such, some of the documents pertaining to the requested information should have already been on its web site, had the Respondent implemented Section 5 of the Act in an accessible manner for all citizens, including those with different disabilities.