Ensuring Transparency, Accountability: Balochistan CM Urged To Establish BIC

News Desk

Quetta: The Balochistan government is urged to take immediate action to establish the Balochistan Information Commission (IC) and fulfil the government’s obligations under the Balochistan Right to Information Act, 2021.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister (CM) of Balochistan, Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) Executive Director Mukhtar Ahmed Ali urged the CM to designate members of the Balochistan IC to guarantee accountability and transparency in the governance system.

The executive director stressed the significance of information access for fostering good governance, combating corruption, and guaranteeing accountability in public institutions.

Mukhtar Ahmed Ali further said that Balochistan is the only province in which the IC has not yet been created, denying citizens access to information.

He stressed that the Balochistan IC is essential for upholding the freedom to access information, which is a fundamental right guaranteed by the Constitution.

According to the CPDI, creating the Information Commission is essential for fostering accountability and transparency in the government.

I should mention here that the Balochistan Right to Information Act was passed by the Provincial Assembly on February 1, 2021, and received the assent of the Governor of Balochistan on February 15, 2021.

The Act mandates the Balochistan government to appoint members of the Balochistan Information Commission within 180 days of the commencement of the Act, under Section 18(1). However, despite this legal obligation, it has been more than two years since the passage of this Act, and members of the Balochistan IC have not been appointed.

This delay is a violation of the law and undermines the purpose of the Balochistan Right to Information Act.