ISLAMABAD: Presenting the Right for Access to Information Bill in the Senate on Tuesday, State Minister for Information Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the government had fulfilled yet another pledge by bringing the legislation.
She said that an ordinance known as Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002 was already in vogue but this bill was a consensus document which entirely covered Article 19-A of the Constitution which said, “Every citizen shall have the right to have access to information in all matters of public importance subject to regulation and reasonable restrictions imposed by law.”
She observed that according to the Statement of Objects and Reasons, the bill was intended to promote a two-way flow of information i.e. from the government to people and vice versa for strengthening and safeguarding the public’s “Right to know”, especially in the backdrop of Article 19-A of the Constitution which explicitly recognized this right as a fundamental right.
She said Nawaz Sharif had formed a ministerial committee following which a Select Committee was formed for further consideration of the bill.
Marriyum observed that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab had also introduced the right to information bills in 2013.
The minister highlighted various aspects of the bill and also appreciated the efforts of the members of Select Committee and Standing Committee on Information who gave their valuable inputs and feedback on the bill.
She said that Senator Kamil Ali Agha had also introduced a private member bill identical to it while Senator Farhatullah Babar worked hard on this legislative proposal for which he deserved congratulations.
She said that the issue of national security was of great importance, adding that public interest had also been taken care of so that required information could not be denied to the citizens.
She said that a timeline had been defined for providing information and solid reasons would have to be given in case of denial of any information.
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani congratulated the House over passage of the bill and said that parliament was the only forum where every stakeholder could present his viewpoint and develop consensus on important national issues.
Published in Daily Times, August 23rd 2017.
