Report Highlights Regional Disparities in Implementing Pakistan’s Access to Information Law

Peshawar, The Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) released a comparative study on the implementation of the Access to Information Act across Pakistan, highlighting significant regional disparities. The study, which involved submitting 127 requests for information under the act, found that the federal level led with a 72% compliance rate, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 45%, with other provinces lagging notably behind.

According to Directorate General Information and PRs – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the report was launched at a ceremony attended by various stakeholders, including officials from the Pakistan Information Commission and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission. Critiques arose over the methodology of the study, particularly from Anisur Rehman, who argued that the same requests should have been made to equivalent institutions across provinces for a fair comparison.

Deputy Registrar Nazim Shahab Qamar emphasized that evaluating the performance of information commissions should consider more than just complaint handling, citing ongoing awareness efforts about the Right to Information (RTI) through various media.