Right to information legislation exists at federal and provincial level in Pakistan. It is a genuinely useful and underused tool, particularly in disputes where a public body holds the record that decides the matter.
What can be requested
Broadly, records held by public bodies, subject to exemptions. In practice this frequently includes the very documents a citizen needs and cannot otherwise obtain:
- Records of decisions affecting the requester
- Departmental correspondence relating to a matter
- Records of approvals, permissions and their basis
- Details of public procurement and expenditure
Making a request
Requests are made to the designated official of the public body, in the prescribed form where one exists. Describe the record sought as specifically as possible: vague requests are the most commonly refused.
Keep proof of submission and note the date, because the response period runs from it.
When it is refused or ignored
Where a request is refused or simply not answered within the period, an appeal lies to the relevant Information Commission. Commissions have the power to direct disclosure.
Non-response is itself appealable, and is the most common outcome of a first request.
Exemptions
Exemptions exist, covering matters such as national security, privacy of third parties and certain deliberative material. A blanket refusal citing an exemption without explaining its application is itself challengeable.
Practical use in disputes
In property, service and regulatory matters, the record held by the department frequently determines the outcome. Obtaining it through an information request is often faster and cheaper than seeking production through litigation.
What to do next
Identify precisely which record you need and which body holds it. Specificity is what gets requests answered.