PIC Summons MOFA Secretary To Appear On August 10

Shazia Mehboob

Islamabad: The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has rescheduled the final hearing against the MOFA Secretary for August 10. The hearing has been called against the MOFA secretary’s failure to provide complete information requested by a citizen under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.

According to the notification, a copy is available with this scribe, which states, “In exercise of the powers vested in this commission, you are summoned to appear before the commission to represent your department or public body at the time of the hearing.”

“Failure to attend the hearing will result in an ex-parte decision and the responsible person will be dealt with in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Act,” it further states.

According to the details, Boota Imtiaz Masih, a civil rights activist, had requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) to provide information pertaining to the Prime Minister’s visit to the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. The application is made under Section 7(g) of the Act.

The appellant requested the complete list of delegations accompanying the PM, details of the hotel for the delegation’s stay, the total number of vehicles used by the delegation, and details and valuation of gifts received and given by the PM during that visit.

The MOFA Spokesperson, who is designated Public Information Office (PIC), Mumtaz Zahra Baloch, provided the details of the query response.

The official details reveal that the PM’s entourage consisted of 29 members but the names of the accompanied delegation are not provided, saying it violates the personal privacy of members.

The MOFA documents state, “Under Section 7(g) of the Right of Access to Information Act 2017, the required information is excluded from publication because it violates the personal privacy of the members of the Prime Minister’s entourage.”  As a result of the provisions of Section 16(c) of the Act, the information is excluded from disclosure.

Moreover, the members stayed at the Plaza Hotel and the Marmara Hotel in New York, and only one vehicle was utilised which was provided by the host government.

It further revealed that no gifts were received from the UN; however, the PM presented five small carpets and five bowls as gifts to UN and US high-ups during bilateral meetings.