Six Months Later, RTI Application on KP Sports Activities Still Unanswered — Complaint Filed with Information Commission

 

Musarrat Ullah Jan – Kikxnow Digital Creator

An official information request under the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act, 2013, submitted in April 2025, has still gone unanswered after more than six months — leading the applicant to file an official complaint (No. 12473) with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission.

The application, made to the Public Information Officer in the Office of the Director General, Cultural and Tourism Authority (CTA), asked for specific information regarding all sporting events held by the Sports Directorate in the fiscal years 2023–24 and 2024–25.

The RTI request sought a detailed list of events, location information, organizing agencies, media coverage details (names of journalists and news organizations), reasons for non-coverage where provided, and total financial analyses of each event, including public spending, media facilitation, and logistics.

In spite of the explicit provisions of the RTI Act — mandating that a public body reply between 10 to 30 working days — the CTA has not so far issued any response, explanation, or acknowledgment of the application, which gives rise to very serious issues regarding transparency and accountability in the utilization of public funds and the management of state-sponsored events.

Exasperated by the persistent silence, the applicant lodged Complaint No. 12473 with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission, seeking intervention and enforcement of the RTI legislation.

"The government should enforce its own law," the applicant stated. "When public money is used, the public has the right to know where, how, and by whom — particularly in areas like sports which are meant to involve youth and foster inclusivity."

As per transparency activists, this is not a one-time affair. There have been several such delays and denials reported in recent months, indicating a worrying trend on the part of some government departments when it comes to implementing the Right to Information Act.

"The KP RTI Act used to be the most progressive legislation in the country," added a member of a local government watchdog. "But the law is only as strong as its implementation — and when it comes to appeals like this one, that it gets ignored erodes public confidence."

The RTI application further inquired if media personnel were invited to report on events, if any facilitation was extended to them (e.g., travel, stay, allowances), and if there was any official notice or letters that might reflect transparency in the process. All of this information has so far not been provided.

Attempts to get comment from officials of the Cultural and Tourism Authority were not successful. Silence not only contravenes the legal provisions of the RTI Act, but it also indicates a wider problem of access to information and accountability of bureaucracy in the province.

Now that the complaint is in the hands of the KP Information Commission, citizens and civil society will closely observe whether the Commission steps up to the plate to enforce the right to information of the applicant — and reminds government institutions that transparency is not voluntary, but a legal and democratic requirement.

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