ISLAMABAD: The Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen) — a civil society network dedicated to strengthening democracy through methodically-enacted observation and oversight of electoral, parliamentary, and governance processes — has called for reforms to address gaps in the implementation of the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act (PTRIA) 2013.

In a policy brief titled “Strengthening the RTI Framework in Punjab”, Fafen has urged close collaboration among the provincial assembly of Punjab, Punjab Information Commission, and civil society to transform the PTRIA’s promise into practice. The policy brief is part of Fafen’s “Countering Disinformation through Information” campaign.

As Pakistan grapples with growing disinformation that often fuels political polarisation, strengthening of RTI frameworks is vital to restoring public trust and ensuring equitable access to information.

Fafen’s assessments of its implementation reveals that around 80pc of government departments were unclear about their obligation to publish annual compliance reports under PTRIA, while a majority of the public bodies failed to respond Fafen’s information requests within legally-stipulated response time.

The policy brief highlights legal and operational challenges over the appointment and removal of Information Commissioners and the budgetary allocation for the PIC.

Moreover, vague or missing definitions of key terms like ‘working days’ and ‘public body’ risk the arbitrary interpretation that may undermine the spirit of the law. Additionally, the absence of standardised record-keeping formats, underdeveloped digital complaint-handling mechanisms, and inadequate privacy protections for applicants further weaken the law’s enforcement.

To address these issues, Fafen proposes amendments to PTRIA, including clearer definitions to cover private entities receiving public funds and government contracts and, safeguards for whistleblowers.

Information commissioners

The brief urges the Punjab Assembly to establish a bipartisan committee for appointing information commissioners and create an independent fund to ensure the commission’s financial autonomy. It also recommends empowering the commission to issue binding directives on record management, conduct inspections, and adopt a five-year strategic plan to institutionalise transparency.

Emphasising the role of technology, Fafen has also recommended a functional online complaint system and standardised digital disclosures to improve accessibility. Sustained public awareness campaigns via media and community engagement are proposed to educate citizens and officials about RTI rights and obligations.

Published in Dawn, March 24th, 2025