Workshop on Balochistan Right to Information Act 2021District Surab, Balochistan

Workshop on Balochistan Right to Information Act 2021
District Surab, Balochistan
Date: 31 October 2023

Transparency International Pakistan, in collaboration with the Gindar Adabi Society, hosted a dynamic one-day workshop in District Surab, with a primary focus on the Balochistan Right to Information Act 2021. The workshop brought together a diverse group of attendees, including individuals from civil society groups, public information officers, activists, educators, students, and concerned citizens from Malakand and the surrounding areas. A total of 39 participants, all of whom were male, engaged in the training session led by Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed, a representative from Transparency International Pakistan.

The session commenced at 10:30 AM with participant registration and the recitation of the Holy Quran. Mr. Zahoor Mehar from the Gindar Adabi Society extended a warm welcome to all attendees. Subsequently, Mr. Ashfaque Ahmed provided an initial introduction to Transparency International Pakistan and its ongoing projects. He then delved into a comprehensive training session on the Balochistan Right to Information Act 2021, emphasizing its significance as a tool for holding the government accountable. The law, enacted post the 18th amendment of the Constitution, facilitates public access to information, albeit with reasonable restrictions.

Throughout the session, participants gained insights into key terms such as “applicant,” “public bodies,” “information,” and “information commission.” The law enables individuals to request diverse information from government bodies, ranging from the number of teachers in primary schools to details about budgets for education, health, and development in the district. Other areas covered included merit lists for job openings, the number of employees in a department along with their salaries, and disclosure of public funds allocated to specific departments.

Mr. Musa Jan elucidated the process of submitting an RTI application and elucidated the role and responsibilities of the Information Commission, along with its complaint-handling procedures. Following the training session, participants had the opportunity to pose questions, and all inquiries were satisfactorily addressed. In the concluding segment, participants actively engaged in crafting RTI applications and pledged to seek additional information from various organizations. The event concluded with expressions of gratitude from all attendees to Transparency International Pakistan for orchestrating this insightful program in Surab.