PRESS RELEASE

A group of civil society group has rejected the ordinance on Right to Information, drafted by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government, demanding to make proper legislation in the provincial legislative Assembly on RTI, instead of merely promulgate it through an ordinance.

Speaking at a press conference here at press club on Tuesday, the Coalition on Right of Information, a group of 20 civil society organisations, co-ordinator Zahid Abddullah said that KP government had prepared a draft proposal, in the shape of ordinance for ensuring access to information to general public. He said that ordinance introduced which was highly ineffective, and full of anomalies and flaws.

Abdullah said the civil society group had also put forward a document on Right to Information, but the provincial government wasn't act upon it and unconsidered, as no sign content were not taken from it. He regretted that the provincial government isn't going to make legislation for access to information to everyone, but merely promulgating an ordinance for this purpose.

Despite the tall claims of PTI-led provincial government for establishment of good governance, he said it was totally immature and ineffective decision, which would be created further ambiguity and complexity after its formal promulgation of the drafted ordinance.

Flanked by the programme officer RTI, Centre for Governance and Public Accountability, (CGPA), Aamir Iqbal, Komal, Atab Khan, and other representative of the civil society group, Abdullah said that the drafted law envisage the establishment of one member information commission, like a Federal Ombudman which has been failed to properly deliver to the masses as per their expectations.

He furthermore said the information commission doesn't have powers to issues directions to public bodies for proactive disclosure of information. Besides, he said that the commission couldn't impose penalty of officers for unlawfully, due to denying to give relevant information.