Training of Public Information Officers (PIOs) under Section 6 Proactive Disclosure, Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016
Event: Training of Public Information Officers (PIOs) under Section 6 Proactive Disclosure, Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016
Venue: Mehran Hotel, Karachi
Date: 15 November 2023
Karachi, 15 Nov 2023: Transparency International Pakistan organized training of Public Information Officers under Section 6 Proactive Disclosure, Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016, at a local hotel in Karachi.
The primary objective of the conference was to emphasize on essential aspects of proactive disclosure under Sindh RTI Act 2016 and aimed to enhance awareness and capacity of Public Information Officers to ensure compliance with Sindh RTI Act 2016.
The training was attended by designated PIOs of more than 50 departments of the Government of Sindh. Diverse speakers including Justice (R) Zia Perwez, Former Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan and Chairman TI Pakistan, Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director, TI Pakistan, Dr. Nausheen Wasi, Asst. Professor of International Relation, UoK and Board of Trustee TI Pakistan, Dr. Jawaid Ali, Chief Information Commissioner, Advocate Saima Agha, Information Commissioner and Mr. Shahid Jatoi, Information Commissioner from Sindh Information Commission, Mr. Nadeem Ur Rehman, Secretary Information, Govt of Sindh, Dr. Raza Gardezi, RTI Activist and Mr. Muhammad Ali Shaikh, former VC SMI attended the training and spoke on various aspects of Sindh RTI Act 2016.
Mr. Kashif Ali, Executive Director, TI Pakistan highlighted that the proactive disclosure is the future of RTI laws and there is a gap when it comes to understanding and implementation of proactive disclosure provision among various departments of the government of Sindh. He highlighted that enhancing understanding of PIOs who are at the forefront of RTI implementation in the province will pave the way for an effective implementation of RTI in the province. He provided detailed training on various clauses of proactive disclosure along with the type of information covered under each clause and encouraged PIOs to ensure that the information is readily disclosed through the websites of the public bodies.
Dr. Nausheen Wasi, Asst. Professor of International Relation, University of Karachi and member board of trustee TI Pakistan, spoke on the importance of RTI for good governance. She highlighted that RTI is a cornerstone of democracy and rule of law. Under Article 19-A, citizens now have the right to access public information. She argued that training of public officers and awareness sessions on RTI among the citizens will improve understanding and implementation of RTI law.
Dr. Jawaid Ali, Chief Information Commissioner, Sindh Information Commission highlighted the role of the commission in addressing complaints pertaining to refusal of information by public bodies. He argued that proactive disclosure allows information to be available before citizen asks for it and is a mandatory requirement under Sindh RTI Act 2016. He also highlighted that there is a gradual improvement in terms of the information shared on the websites of the public bodies. Advocate Saima Agha and Mr. Shahid Jatoi, Information Commissioners, Sindh Information Commission also highlighted the role of Sindh Information Commission in effective implementation of RTI in the province. They shared in detail the working of the commission and its challenges.
Dr. Raza Gardezi, an RTI expert, gave training on the key provisions and obligations of public bodies under the Sindh Transparency and RTI Act 2016. He also spoke in detail on the role of Public Information Officers (PIOs) under the Sindh RTI Act 2016.
Mr. Nadeem Ur Rehman, Secretary Information, Government of Sindh highlighted Sindh government’s commitment towards effective implementation of RTI law in the province and thanked TI Pakistan and Sindh Information Commission for organizing trainings for public information officers with the hope that it will enhance their knowledge about the law and help them address RTI requests as per the letter and spirit of Sindh RTI Act 2016.
In the closing remarks, Justice (R) Zia Perwez, former Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan and Chairman TI Pakistan said that RTI legislation is a testament to our commitment to transparency and social accountability, and underscored the pivotal role that proactive disclosure plays in shaping the future of Right to Information laws. He emphasized that Public Information Officers (PIOs) are at the heart of RTI implementation everywhere and hoped that capacity building training on proactive disclosure provision under Sindh Right to Information Act 2016 will enable PIOs to understand various clauses of proactive disclosure better and will help PIOs in dealing with RTI requests and identify the necessary information which may be disclosed through the websites of the public bodies in accordance with the principles enshrined in the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information Act 2016.
