In their effort to review and improve RTI laws, member of Sindh Information Commission (SIC) Muhammad Saleem Khan and Noor Muhammad Dayo visited office of Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) in Islamabad. They held threadbare discussions during a meeting with its chairman Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui and member Aijaz Hussain Awan.
Framing reformed RTI rules with the contribution of all RTI commissions in Pakistan was the key topic of discussions.
The SIC proposed to establish a ruling committee having renowned jurists, stakeholders and members of commissions to work for similar rules across Pakistan with due deliberations amongst the RTI commissions.
Collaboration for better implementation of RTI laws, importance of effective use of Transparency and Right to Information Acts as a cornerstone for ensuring citizens’ smooth access, strengthening institutional transparency and accountability were also deliberated upon during the meeting.
The discussion further focused on enhancing public awareness, capacity building of public bodies, and streamlining mechanisms for timely and proactive disclosure of information.
Both sides emphasized on transparent governance for restoring confidence of masses on public entities and improving service delivery. Mutual resolve to support training initiatives for government officials, and facilitate citizens in exercising their right to access information was reiterated.
The Pakistan Information Commission commended the efforts of SIC for the sake of improvements in RTI laws. They appreciated the proposal of establishing a joint ruling committee
The SIC members thanked Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui for his continuous guidance in making RTI laws more effective and user friendly.
The meeting concluded with a mutual understanding to continue consultations on technical support, required amendments in existing laws and policy advocacy aimed at fostering openness across public sector entities.
It may be recalled that SIC members also visited Punjab Information Commission few days back for consultation on RTI laws.