LAHORE: The Punjab government on Wednesday appointed PML-N Lawyers Forum Pakistan President Naseer Ahmad Bhutta as Punjab Information Commission’s chief commissioner.

Mr Bhutta had resigned as Pakistan’s additional attorney general two days ago. He was given this post in October 2013 by former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Mr Bhutta was also elected as MNA from a Lahore seat in 2008 on a PML-N ticket. He was actively involved in leading the lawyers’ movement against Pervez Musharraf.

The information commission is an independent enforcement body set up under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013. Its job is to set the required mechanisms for right to information in Punjab, raise public awareness of the law, help public bodies comply with the law, train public information officers, monitor their performance, decide complaints and take action against those failing to comply.

Former Lahore High Court Judge Mazhar Hussain Minhas was the first chief commissioner. The post had been lying vacant since the completion of his three-year tenure earlier this year.

The commission comprises three commissioners under the law and officials said the remaining two would also be appointed soon.

Meanwhile, the Punjab government also notified the promotion of Communication and Works Secretary Mian Mushtaq to BPS-22 and upon his promotion upgraded the post to additional chief secretary of the department.

Published in Dawn, October 19th, 2017