Pakistan Information Commission in collaboration with Transparency International Pakistan (TI Pakistan) organized training of Public Information Officers under Section 5 Proactive Disclosure, Right of Access to Information Act 2017 at a local hotel in Islamabad. The primary objective of the conference was to highlight key elements of proactive disclosure as outlined in the Federal RTI Act 2017.
It sought to increase awareness and build the capacity of Public Information Officers to ensure adherence to the Right of Access to Information Act 2017.
The training was attended by designated PIOs of various departments of the Federal Government. Diverse speakers including Advocate Daniyal Muzaffar, Legal Advisor, Board of Trustee, TI Pakistan, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Chief Information Commissioner, Pakistan Information Commission, Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director TI Pakistan, Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ali, Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives and former Commissioner, Punjab Information Commission, Mr. Muhammad Azam, former Chief Information Commissioner, Pakistan Information Commission, Director General (IP), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting attended the training and spoke on various aspects of Federal RTI Act 2017. Advocate Daniyal Muzaffar, Legal Advisor, Board of Trustee, TI Pakistan gave opening remarks and introduced work of Transparency International Pakistan.
Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Chief Information Commissioner, Pakistan Information Commission delivered welcoming remarks and gave an overview of the working of Pakistan Information Commission. Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director, TI Pakistan welcomed participants and gave an overview of Transparency International Pakistan. He said that TI Pakistan works to combat corruption through advocacy for transparent governance, public awareness campaigns, and promoting accountability measures.
Mr. Mukhtar Ahmed Ali, Executive Director of the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives and former Commissioner Punjab Information Commission spoke on the key provisions and obligations of public bodies under the Right of Access to Information Act 2017. He emphasized that the Right to Information (RTI) is fundamental to democracy and the rule of law, under Article 19-A. He said that conducting training sessions for public officers and raising awareness among citizens about RTI would enhance comprehension and application of the RTI law.
Mr. Muhammad Azam, former Chief Information Commissioner, the Pakistan Information Commission highlighted the role of PIOS under the Right of Access to Information Act 2017. He said that proactive disclosure ensures information availability before citizens request it. Advocate Saima Agha, Information Commissioner at the Sindh Information Commission, underscored the commission’s pivotal role in facilitating the efficient implementation of RTI on federal and provincial level, offering a comprehensive overview of its operations and challenges. Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director, TI Pakistan spoke on Right of Access to Information Act 2017, Section 5 Proactive Disclosure, Its meaning and implementation.
He said that proactive disclosure represents the future of RTI laws, pointing out a noticeable gap in comprehension and implementation of proactive disclosure provisions across various departments of the Federal government. He stressed that improving the understanding of Public Information Officers (PIOs), who play a key role in RTI implementation, is crucial for achieving effective implementation of RTI in the province. Director General (IP), Ministry of Information and Broadcasting spoke on Access to Information through Websites of Public Bodies.
He said that proactive disclosure allows information to be available before citizen asks for it and is a mandatory requirement under the Federal RTI Act. In the closing remarks, Mr. Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, Chief Information Commissioner, the Pakistan Information Commission, said that RTI legislation reflects our dedication to transparency and social accountability, he said that capacity-building training on proactive disclosure provision of Right of Access to Information Act 2017 will enable PIOS to understand various clauses of proactive disclosure better and will help PIOS in dealing with RTI requests.