Rejecting the amendments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information (RTI) Act 2013, the Coalition on Right to Information (CRTI) has presented charter of demands aimed at restoring status of information commission and withdrawal of exemption given to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Peshawar High Court (PHC).
Addressing a press conference at Peshawar Press Club, Coordinator CRTI, Zahid Abdullah, a network of 30 civil society organisations working together to protect and promote citizens right to information in the country, said when Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 was enacted, CRTI appreciated it at every forum as it met standards of right to information legislation.
However, the amendments in this law by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on June 23, 2015 have significantly diluted this law, requires immediate withdrawal of amendments made recently in the law.
Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) Executive Director, Muhammad Anwar, lamented the fact that without any debate and without seeking input from civil society groups, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly exempted itself from the purview of the law.
Furthermore, it lowered the status of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission making district courts forum of appeal against the decisions of the Commission.
Lala Hasan, from the Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development said that CRTI has been demanding the inclusion of Peshawar High Court within the purview of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013. Instead of this, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly exempted itself from the purview of the law.
CRTI Charter of Demands urges Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to withdraw amendments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 and to bring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly and Peshawar High Court within the ambit of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Right to Information Act 2013 for benefits of masses.