RTI is important tool for aspiring female investigative journalists, Saddia Mazhar
As the Covid-19 pandemic badly affected lives and businesses across the world. The pandemic has accelerated the process of digital adaptation. The pandemic forced people around the world to shift their focus toward digital technology for availing services and employment opportunities. Digital technologies have revolutionized the media landscape. Like the rest of the world, Asian countries, especially Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, started relying on digital news websites to get authentic information.
With the increase in the use of social networking websites (social media), complaints of unauthentic news and information are also common in society, and alarmingly these complaints are increasing with time. In these circumstances, investigative journalism, authentic documents, and the quest for access to authentic information have gained more importance. Article 19A of the Constitution of Pakistan gives every citizen the right of access to information from government institutions. However, due to the lack of effective implementation of these laws, journalists and ordinary citizens alike are facing difficulties in accessing official information.
Saddia Mazhar, a female journalist from Sahiwal, Punjab, has consistently and effectively used RTI laws for her investigative journalism. She has proved that authentic information from government institutions can be obtained through the effective, consistent use of these laws. She proved that access to official information and documents is not something like impossible.
The prudent female journalist Saddia Mazhar was honored with the “RTI Champion” award in the field of journalism for effectively employing access to information laws for investigative journalism. She was honored with the award by Coalition on Right to Information on the occasion of World Access to Information Day.
Saddia Mazhar RTI ChampionWhile talking with “The Reporters”, Saddia Mazhar said every training workshop related to investigative journalism stresses the importance of access to information laws for investigative journalism. However, the inclination of journalists in Pakistan to use these laws is shallow due to various reasons. About 18 months ago, I decided to regularly use the Access to Information Act to obtain official information from government institutions.
In the beginning, it wasn’t easy to get information through RTI laws. However, after regularly using these laws, the situation has changed, and some information or documents are coming to our office every other day. Now, we have to choose which documents to be reported first.
Source: The reporters
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