A revealing recent report in this newspaper about the federal government's style of functioning shows how even the highest national forum, the Parliament, feels helpless to penetrate the veil of secrecy enveloping such an important issue as the power sector's ever mounting circular debt and related policy decisions. According to the report, the Senate Standing Committee on Finance has been trying to obtain information on the settlement of Rs 480 billion circular debt for almost a year - without any success. At a recent meeting the committee chairman, Saleem Mandviwala, threw up his hands in frustration, deciding to refer the issue to the House for debate. That is when smelling trouble ruling party Senator Mushahidullah Khan intervened to request that the Ministry of Water and Power and the Federal Board of Revenue be given a week's time to provide the desired information.
It may be recalled that the issue has been hanging fire for well over two years when the Auditor General of Pakistan told the National Assembly's Public Accounts Committee (PAC) that the Finance Ministry's payment of Rs 480 billion to the power sector was made in violation of laid down rules and procedures, and that any money releases made by the ministry without fulfilling pre-audit conditions were illegal. If the PAC's experience is anything to go by, the required information would continue to be withheld from the Senate as well on one pretext or another. This has been going on despite the fact that under the Pakistan Right to Information Act, 2013, the government is obliged to make such information available to anyone "at a reasonable price at an adequate number of outlets so that access thereof is easier, less time-consuming and less expensive." In practice, however, as the present example shows, let alone ordinary citizens it is next to impossible for even the privileged members of Parliament to access information on a vital public interest matter. In fact, the federal government continues to stall action on framing the relevant implementation rules such as the fee payable for obtaining information as well as copies of the public records, and forms of application for the purpose.
It is worthwhile to note that the provincial governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab have made decent 'right to information laws' and also established independent information commissions to facilitate the people's right to know. There is no reason why the federal government could not do likewise unless there are things regarding governance affairs that need to be hidden from public eye. Transparency and good governance, needless to say, go hand in hand. This is why almost all democratic countries have strong 'right to know' laws. Anyone can access information on any matter of public interest except for documents concerning national security and citizens' privacy. The more this government tries to withhold information the more questions arise regarding trust and integrity.
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