RTI Filed in April 2025. Department Responds in July 2026: "We Don't Have a PRO."

musarrat ullah jan -

 

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 RTI Commission stating:

"The department does not have any PRO."

The reply raises serious questions:

• If there was no PRO, why wasn't this communicated within the legally prescribed time?

• Why did it take more than 14 months, and intervention by the RTI Commission, to provide such a basic response?

• If the department has no PRO, who has been handling media relations, public communication, and official dissemination of information?

• Does this indicate poor record management, administrative negligence, or non-compliance with the Right to Information Act?

The Right to Information law is meant to ensure timely access to public information, not to compel citizens to wait for over a year and approach the RTI Commission to obtain a simple answer.

Transparency is not measured by promises. It is measured by timely disclosure, accountability, and respect for the public's right to know.

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

 

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