Freedom of Information | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) | Page 3

Pakistan Press Foundation

Right to Information Bill tabled in PA

Pakistan Press Foundation

By: Hussain Kashif LAHORE: The Punjab government tabled and started debate on the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Bill 2013 in the provincial assembly on Wednesday to make compulsory for government departments to provide the demanded information within the next 14 working days to the citizens. Under the proposed laws, a special commission would […]


Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa becomes first province to enact updated RTI

Pakistan Press Foundation

Sahibzada Muhammad Khalid was appointed as the Chief Information Commissioner by the government on Friday as the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Governor signed the Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013, said a notification. The law will make K-P the first province to have implemented the RTI as a law. Sahibzada Muhammad Khalid, a grade 22 official who […]


PCP terms attack on press against freedom of expression

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Any threat or attack to affect free functioning of press is tantamount to negate freedom of expression and put hurdles in the smooth flow of information. This was stated in a statement issued here on Wednesday by the Press Council of Pakistan (PCP) in response to second attack by armed persons on Express newspaper […]


Right wronged

Pakistan Press Foundation

The Right to Information (RTI) bill, originally introduced as an ordinance by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, has finally been passed by the provisional assembly but amendments added to the bill have made it considerably weaker. The RTI bill now imposes a fine of Rs50,000 or a two-year prison sentence for those who ‘use the information […]


Draft Right to Information Bill – Minister seeks APNS, PBA recommendations

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid has invited Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) and All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) to forward their recommendations on draft Right to Information Bill and assured that these will be brought up during discussion in the Senate. The minister said this in a letter written to PBA Chairman […]


Draft Right to Information Bill: Minister seeks APNS, PBA recommendations

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Pervaiz Rashid has invited Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) and All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) to forward their recommendations on draft Right to Information Bill and assured that these will be brought up during discussion in the Senate. The minister said this in a letter written to PBA Chairman […]


Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa comes bundled with long list of exemptions

Pakistan Press Foundation

By: Abdur Rauf PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Assembly unanimously passed the K-P Right to Information Act (RTI) 2013 on Friday, but not without significant amendments. One such change pertains to ‘mala fide intentions’ which are now counted a punishable offence resulting in – at most – a Rs50,000 fine or incarceration for two years. During […]


Information bill will discourage applicants

Pakistan Press Foundation

ISLAMABAD: Senators across party lines endorsed on Tuesday a report of the Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting on the Right to Information Bill, 2013, whose emphasis appears to be hiding rather than giving easy access to information. The chairman of the standing committee, Kamil Ali Agha of the PML-Q, presented the report before the […]


Call for protecting people’s right to information

Pakistan Press Foundation

SANGHAR: Social activists at a seminar on Friday asked the government to recognise, respect and protect the people’s basic rights, including their right to information, which is necessary for good governance. The seminar titled ‘Right to Information: A way forward to good governance’ was held at the district council hall of Sanghar and was organised […]


Information draft law sent to governor

Pakistan Press Foundation

LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday sent draft of the freedom of information ordinance to the governor for approval and promulgation. The draft law was approved by the provincial cabinet a few days ago with the decision to introduce it through an ordinance. Caretaker chief minister Najam Sethi had decided to enforce it through an […]


Right to information

Pakistan Press Foundation

The Right to Information (RTI) article 19-A was inserted in the constitution under the 18th amendment for the people of Pakistan to get all information in matters of public importance but subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law. The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recently passed an ordinance “The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information […]


YouTube and the pursuit of happiness

Pakistan Press Foundation

Pakistan enjoys nothing more than proving the wisdom behind the cliché ‘cutting off your nose to spite your face’. It is entirely appropriate that the phrase can be traced back to a time in Europe when women would mutilate themselves in order to protect their ‘purity’, since all our most self-destructive actions involve misbegotten notions […]


Freedom of Information Act

Pakistan Press Foundation

IN Pakistan, whenever our bureaucracies draft any law or document, it always seems ambiguous and controversial. The Punjab Freedom of Information Act is a good example, as it is a very confused act. This Act is drafted by bureaucracy without consulting stakeholders, while media and civil society representatives are available for technical guidance. In this […]


Freedom available!

Pakistan Press Foundation

The government of Punjab has invited comments from the public on its draft ‘Punjab Freedom of Information Act’, which has been approved in principle by the Punjab cabinet. It is a step in the right direction but major changes are required if the objectives of improving transparency, accountability and governance are to be met. Overall […]