RTI Law Aims To Improve Governance System Through Transparency: PIC Siddiqui

APP

Islamabad: The Right to Information Act 2017 empowers every citizen to contribute to improving the governance system through the power of knowledge and raising questions in the right way, said Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) Chief Information Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui on Monday.

This Act encourages citizens to take an active part in improving the governance system. It is a people-centric and public-friendly law due to which citizens can take an interest in the affairs of the government through framing the good question, Shoaib Ahmad further stated.

“Every citizen can file an application on plain paper to the head of the department for which information is required. If the applicant does not receive an answer to his satisfaction within 10 or even 20 days, the PIC can be contacted through an email at appeals@rti.gov.pk or through the post without visiting,” Siddiqui added.

The Chief Commissioner told that currently, they have received more than 3,000 appeals, and half of them have been disposed of or addressed.

Chief Shoaib further explained that the aim of the RTI law is to improve the governance system through transparency. The inclusion of citizens will make government officials mindful, careful, and efficient, which will double the quality of governance, he added.

He stated that the RTI Act brings an end to the concept of careless citizenship and makes every Pakistani responsible to ask for information if they find anything doubtful in running the affairs of the government at any level.

PIC Chief further said that abrupt and unplanned criticism helps no one. Come to a proper forum with practical questions and enjoy a positive outcome. He underlined that “if the applicant is not satisfied with the quality or quantity of information, the commission will go further until the questioning citizen is satisfied”.

Shoaib Ahmad further stated that no one can harm the whistle-blower as the chief commissioner and the laws of the land are there to protect him against any unlawful consequences.

A citizen, aware of the law and his rights, cannot be harmed, and such citizens are the people who make a country strong, he added.