KikxNow , Digital Creator

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , kikxNow , Digital Creator PESHAWAR: President of the Provincial Hockey Association, Syed Zahir Shah, has warned that outsourcing sports grounds will have devastating consequences for the future of sports, saying the move will hit talented athletes from poor families the hardest and make sports accessible only to those who can afford the costs. Speaking to journalists in Peshawar, Shah said that the majority of successful athletes come from underprivileged backgrounds. He argued that handing sports facilities over to private contractors would lead to higher fees and additional expenses, forcing many talented but financially disadvantaged players to quit sports. Paying tribute to the services of sports pioneer Syed Aqil Shah, he said Aqil Shah made invaluable contributions to the promotion of sports in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He added that Lala Ayub Hockey Stadium in Peshawar was named after his late father, Lala Ayub, in recognition of his outstanding servic...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , kikxNow , Digital Creator The Right to Information (RTI) Act guarantees citizens timely access to public information. But what happens when a public authority simply does not respond? On 7 April 2025 , a journalist submitted an RTI request to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) seeking information related to former employees of the Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) who are now serving in KPCTA. The request sought public records including: • A list of all former TCKP employees currently working in KPCTA, along with copies of their final academic qualifications and degrees. • Details of the degree verification process, including the agencies responsible for verification, verification reports, and whether any discrepancies were identified. • Copies of the regulations approved in principle by the Chairman of the KPCTA Board of Directors, along with amendments, dates of approval, and relevant Board meetings. • R...

Musarrat Ullah Jan , kikxNow , Digital Creator The implementation of the Right to Information (RTI) Act in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa continues to raise serious concerns. On 9 May 2025 , a journalist submitted an RTI request to the Public Information Officer of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) seeking detailed information about the Tourism Police motorcycles. The request sought records including: • Fuel consumption of Tourism Police motorcycles during the previous 12 months, district-wise. • Monthly fuel consumption of each motorcycle. • Total fuel budget and expenditure. • The number of Tourism Police personnel deployed in Peshawar, Abbottabad (Galiyat), Mansehra (Kaghan), Swat, Chitral (Kalash), and Upper Dir (Kumrat). • The names, designations, and official duties of Tourism Police personnel posted in Peshawar. • The current location of the six motorcycles stationed at the Peshawar Head Office. • Details of how these motorcycles have been use...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , kikxNow , Digital Creator Transparency is tested not by public statements, but by how public institutions respond to lawful requests for information. On 5 January 2025 , a journalist submitted two Right to Information (RTI) applications to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) seeking information about: • Police and official vehicles, including their purchase, allocation, location, and fuel details. • Officials holding additional charges. • Procurement responsibilities. • Event management responsibilities and the officers assigned to them. Despite the legal obligation to respond within the timeframe prescribed under the RTI Act, no information was provided. As a result, on 5 April 2025 , the journalist filed a complaint before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission . The complaint was registered as No. 12299 . More than 14 months later , the complaint remains pending , while the requested public informat...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , kikxNow , Digital Creator How committed is a public authority to transparency when it takes more than 14 months to answer a basic Right to Information (RTI) request? On 29 April 2025 , I submitted an RTI request to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) seeking records related to the appointment of its Public Relations Officer (PRO). The request sought public information, including the PRO's name, date of appointment, educational qualifications, copies of academic credentials, recruitment advertisement, number of applicants, interview dates, details of the selection committee, and certified copies of all relevant documents. Despite the statutory timeframe under the RTI law, no information was provided. The matter had to be taken before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission . Finally, on 7 July 2026 , the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Culture and Tourism Department submitted a written reply before the...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator PESHAWAR: Fresh questions over transparency and financial accountability have emerged after a Right to Information (RTI) application was filed seeking official records on the use of land belonging to the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Sports by the Culture and Tourism Department . The application, submitted under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013 , requests detailed information about the legal status of a building constructed by the Culture and Tourism Department on land owned by the Provincial Sports Directorate. The applicant has sought certified copies of approvals, No Objection Certificates (NOCs), agreements, notifications and other official documents authorising the construction of the building. The RTI also seeks copies of any lease agreement, licence or Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) governing the use of the land. The application further demands disclosure of the annual lease amount, the co...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator PESHAWAR: A Right to Information (RTI) case seeking official records on vehicle and fuel management within the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate General of Sports remains pending before the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Commission , months after the information request was filed in March 2025 . The application, submitted under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013 , requested official documents relating to Office Order No. DG/Sports/Admin/2023-24/1328-31 dated November 1, 2023 , through which administrative responsibility for the department's vehicle fleet and fuel cards was assigned to the Director Development. The applicant sought copies of complaints regarding blocked fuel and fleet cards, alleged irregularities in vehicle allocation, and internal correspondence concerning fleet management. The request also asked for a complete inventory of official vehicles, including registration numbers, fuel con...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator PESHAWAR: More than a year after an application was submitted under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Act, the Sports Directorate has yet to provide information regarding the status and functioning of the Provincial Sports Management Committee, raising fresh concerns over transparency and implementation of the KP Sports Policy. The RTI application, submitted on 1 May 2025 to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the Sports and Youth Affairs Department, sought official records relating to the Provincial Sports Management Committee , established through Notification No. SO(S)2-39/Sports Policy/2020 dated 26 August 2020 . The applicant requested copies of the committee's notification and Terms of Reference (TORs), details of all meetings held since its establishment, including dates, agendas and minutes, and records of actions taken under its assigned powers and responsibilities. The application also sought e...

  Musarrat Ullah Jan , KikxNow , Digital Creator In Pakistan, sport is often defeated long before the whistle blows. Not by poor athletes. Not by a lack of talent. But by paperwork, legal ambiguity and an administrative culture that treats public documents as state secrets. The latest example is the provincial government's move to invite private operators to manage the Hayatabad Sports Complex and the Peshawar Sports Complex. On paper, it looks like another public-private partnership aimed at improving sports facilities. In reality, it raises a far more important question. Does the Directorate of Sports have the legal authority to sublease assets built on land it does not own? That question deserves a documented answer, not a press statement. The Hayatabad Sports Complex stands on land owned by the Peshawar Development Authority (PDA). The Peshawar Sports Complex, also known as Qayyum Sports Complex, is located on land belonging to the Cantonment Board. In both cases, t...