ISLAMABAD: Public bodies in Khy­ber Pakhtunkhwa province proactively disclose an average of 57 per cent of the legally required information on their official websites, according to the latest transparency assessment report by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).

The assessment, conducted as part of Fafen’s “Countering Disinformation Thr­ou­gh Information” campaign, emphasis­­es the role of proactive disclosures in str­engthening institutional transparency and curbing misinformation. A lack of official and authentic information fuels speculation, rumours, assumptions, and conjectures, all of which become major drivers of disinformation that undermi­nes institutional credibility, erodes public trust, and contributes to instability.

The assessment reviewed 190 public bodies, including 36 secretariat departments, 98 attached departments, and 56 autonomous bodies, against the proactive disclosure requirements of Section 5 of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (KPRTI) Act, 2013. The Act explicitly mandates the publication of 12 categories of information and emphasises the need for up-to-date, accessible information, including online.

Overall, autonomous bodies and secretariat departments showed the highest compliance at 64pc, while attached departments lagged behind at 50pc.

Among the secretariat departments, the Auqaf, Haj, Religious and Minority Affairs Department and the Minerals Development Department emerged as top performers, each disclosing 92pc of the required information. The Institute of Management Sciences (IMSciences), Central Prison Peshawar, and the Pesh­awar Development Authority (PDA) led among attached departments with 83pc compliance. Among autonomous bodies, the University of Agriculture, Peshawar, also recorded 92pc compliance.

However, the assessment found that nearly half of the public bodies fall below the 50pc mark. Twenty-seven Secretariat Depart­ments, seventy-three Attached Departments, and thirty Autonomous Bodies disclosed only 33-67pc of the required information. In addition, fourteen Attached Departments, two Autonomous Bodies, and one Secretariat Department disclosed merely 17-25pc.

Organisational information, such as a public body’s functions, duties, and structure, was the most widely available category, with 89pc of public bodies sharing these details. Legal frameworks governing public bodies were accessible on 84pc of the websites. Personnel information and details on public services were available on 76pc of the websites.

Significant gaps, however, persist in disclosures related to decision-making and financial transparency. Only 15pc of public bodies shared information about their decision-making processes or opportunities for public consultation.

Budget transparency was notably poor, with only 27pc publishing proposed and actual expenditures.

Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2025