QUETTA    –    The Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives (CPDI) has called upon the Chief Minister of Balo­chistan to appoint members of the Balochistan Information Commission, as required by the Balo­chistan Right to Information Act, 2021. In a statement issued here on Monday, the CPDI emphasized that the establishment of the In­formation Commission is critical for promoting transparency and accountability in the government. The Balochistan Right to Informa­tion Act was passed by the Pro­vincial Assembly on February 1, 2021, and received the assent of the Governor of Balochistan on February 15, 2021. The Act man­dates the Balochistan government to appoint members of the Balo­chistan Information Commission within 180 days of the commencement of the Act under Section 18(1). However, despite this legal obligation, it has been more than two years since the passage of this Act, and members of the Balo­chistan Information Commission have not been appointed. This delay is a violation of the law and undermines the purpose of the Balochistan Right to Information Act. In a letter addressed to the CM of Balochistan, the Executive Director of CPDI, Mukhtar Ahmed Ali, highlighted the im­portance of access to information for promoting good governance, reducing corruption, and en­suring accountability in public institutions. CPDI urged the Chief Minister to take immediate action to establish the Balochistan Information Commis­sion and fulfil the government’s obligations under the Balochistan Right to Information Act, 2021. Mukhtar Ahmed Ali further stated that Balochistan is the only prov­ince where the Information Com­mission has not been established yet, depriving citizens of their right to information. He empha­sized that access to information is a fundamental right enshrined in the Constitution of Pakistan, and the establishment of the Balo­chistan Information Commission is crucial for protecting this right. CPDI calls on the govern­ment of Balochistan to take urgent action and appoint members of the Balochistan Information Commission to ensure transparency and account­ability in the government.

Published in The Nation