14 Months Later, Still No Information. Is This Transparency?

musarrat ullah jan -

 

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 information has still not been provided.

This raises serious questions:

• Why were the RTI applications not answered within the time required by law?

• Why is Complaint No. 12299 still pending after more than a year?

• Why should a citizen or journalist have to wait over 14 months simply to obtain routine public information?

• What message does this send about transparency, accountability, and compliance with the Right to Information Act?

The Right to Information Act was enacted to ensure that public bodies are transparent and accountable, not to make applicants wait indefinitely for information that belongs in the public domain.

Delayed information is denied information. Transparency loses its meaning when public authorities fail to respond and complaints remain unresolved for over a year.

#RTI #RightToInformation #Transparency #Accountability #KP #KhyberPakhtunkhwa #KPCTA #OpenGovernment #PublicInformation #RightToKnow #InvestigativeJournalism #MediaFreedom #GoodGovernance #PublicAccountability #Pakistan

 

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