Information Commission Balochistan: Why this delay
Editorial :
Almost a year passed, the Balochistan government is yet to establish the Information Commission (IC). The provincial assembly had adopted the Right to Information Bill in February 2021 amid the uproar. The opposition lawmakers had expressed reservations over the bill and called for amendment. Nevertheless, the treasury members adopted the bill.
The Balochistan cabinet had approved the RTI Bill in August 2020. Since then, the government has not taken any practical steps to establish the Information Commission. All three provinces and Islamabad have formed RTI commissions empowering citizens to seek information about government functionaries.
The February 2021 RTI bill empowers citizens to seek information/details of development projects, jobs, quality of work, official decisions about government departments. Since the passage of the bill, the Balochistan government has not discussed the formation of the IC.
Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa formed ICs
Other provinces have also appointed chief information commissioners and information commissioners to devolve information at grassroots level. The commissions have made various decisions regarding government departments on citizens application.
Undoubtedly, RTI is an effective instrument to promote democratic institutions and eradicate the curse of corruption from the country. Information is considered to be one of the powerful tools to ensure transparency in the utilization of funds and appointment of candidates on government jobs. Above all, it plays key role as a watch dog about major government decisions.
RTI plays key role in ensuring good governance
RTI is also very crucial in the establishment of good governance in the country. People of Balochistan continue to suffer because of worst governance. The province is lagging behind other provinces of the country in terms of key social indicators including eduction, health, sanitation, clean drinking water etc.
For Balochistan, the establishment of IC is indispensable since the people enjoy the right to information but with no proper platform to lodge their protest. Chief Minister Mir Quddus Bizenjo led government should go beyond words and establish the IC to empower the masses to seek information about government functionaories.
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