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A newsletter containing news, views, articles, investigative stories in the field of |
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Right
to Information From Around the World |
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Issue No: 101 |
E - Alert |
Issue Date: 05-05-2015 |
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Editorial: Greetings from Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, (CPDI). The statement came out of
nowhere leaving us pleasantly surprised and our perception about politicians
suffering from selective amnesia further reinforced. First, the statement. On
World Press Freedom Day, former president Asif Ali Zardari
said:  “The fact that the RTI
legislation had been finalised by the Senate
committee almost a year ago but the government, despite promises, has not
tabled it in parliament raises serious questions about the intent and motives
of the government.†Taken on its face value, this statement seems to
be contributing to the demand for the enactment of effective right to
information law repealing FOIO 2002. Leader of country’s major political
party championing the cause of transparency. What else can you ask for? After
all, this is what CPDI and other civil society groups have been demanding as
PMLN has continuously dragged its feet on this issue.  However, it is when we see this statement in the context of developments pertaining to right to information legislation in the country that our enthusiasm dampens a bit. Furthermore, the failure of Mr. Zardari to dwell upon the lack of development on the repeal of Sindh Freedom of Information Act 2006 is too glaring an omission to go unnoticed. The following timeline depicting not-so-flattering trail of broken promises pertaining to legislation on right to information left behind by PPP after its tenure from 2008 to 2013 juxtaposed with Mr. Zardari’s recent statement and the feed-dragging of PMLN on this issue confirms what is already widely known-both these parties do not walk the talk and that civil society groups will have to mount pressure on politicians to arrest this trend. May 14, 2006-Pakistan People’s Party and PML-N commit
in Charter of Democracy that ‘access to information will become law after
parliamentary debate and public scrutiny’. March 29,
2008-Yousaf Raza Gillani pledges in his address to Parliament soon after
being nominated as Prime Minister that a new freedom of information law will
be brought to promote press freedom. September 20,
2008-President Asif Ali Zardari, while addressing the joint session of the
Parliament states that “We will soon be bringing other fundamental laws such
as freedom of information bill…†November 21,
2008-As Federal
Information Minister, Ms Sherry Rehman
states “Freedom of Information bill would shortly be tabled in the parliament
after incorporating views of the provincial governments in itâ€. Happy reading, CPDI Pakistan PPP
calls for adoption of right to
information bill DAWN.com ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People's Party (PPP) has called for early adoption of the Right to Information (RTI) Bill that has been lying in limbo since... UK 'Racism
rising' on Britain's railways, Freedom
of Information request finds Metro Figures obtained by the Press Association via a Freedom of Information request showed that the British Transport Police recorded a total of 1,468 ... India RTI reply points to bungling in sale
of Army vehicles Chandigarh Tribune Replies received under the Right to Information Act (RTI) to queries pertaining to certain financial transactions by the Directorate General of ... Mexico Mexican
Congress expands reach of freedom-of-information
law U-T San Diego MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico's Congress has approved freedom of information legislation that will allow public access to data from almost any entity ... UK BBC
Favours Daily Mail Over The Guardian, Freedom Of Information Request
Reveals Huffington Post UK The Daily Mail is known for slating the BBC as “Guardian-reading Lefties†but it's going to struggle to get round the findings of a recent Freedom of ... UK 25
pregnant Navy sailors airlifted from ships Telegraph.co.uk The figures reported in The Sun were released under the Freedom of Information Act and follow the disclosure last year that 200 women were flown ... India The Hindu A committee set up by the Union government to look into the provisions of the Official Secrets Act, 1923 (OSA) in light of the Right to Information Act, ... USA National
Guard referred to Ferguson protesters as “enemy forces†World Socialist Web Site The documents were obtained by CNN through a Freedom of Information Act request. CNN reported Monday that “internal communications from as ... India PMO
has no information on Modi's wardrobe, says a RTI reply Hindustan Times ... information sought should be provided is not correct,†the Prime Minister's Office said in a reply to Right To Information application filed by Kumar. USA Federal
agencies fail freedom of information
test by Syracuse University Syracuse.com The U.S. Department of Homeland Security had the fastest response to requests for public information, in a study by researchers at the Transactional ... UK UK
Government Belated FOI
Transparency Lamented By The Man Who Pushed For It, 'Cash ... Techdirt The UK's Freedom of Information law was a long time coming. In contrast to the United States government, which (begrudgingly) (and only sort of) ... Sri Lanka Draft
Bill on Right to Information gets
Cabinet approval The Official Government News
Portal of Sri Lanka It was pledged that under the 100 days programme of the government the Draft Bill on Right to Information will be presented to the Parliament. UK Prince
Charles 'black spider memos' may not be released for months The Guardian The Guardian challenged this use of the veto under the freedom of information act, and won at the supreme court. Lord Neuberger, the president of the ... Australia Risdon
prison spends tens of thousands on nicotine patches and microwave ovens ABC Online Risdon prison has spent $40,000 on nicotine patches for inmates and nearly $1,500 replacing microwaves in the last three months, right to information... India Step-motherly
treatment for non-clinical subjects The Hindu Despite the seriousness of the problem efforts to obtain details under the Right to Information elicited no response. The Directorate of Medical ... Canada 1500
school bus crashes since 2010, but contractor info remains secret Toronto Star ... is the same one journalists often use to uncover government secrets: the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA). India PM
Modi's Wife Files Second RTI
Appeal on Her Security Cover Issue NDTV ... Prime Minister Narendra Modi's wife Jashodaben has filed a second appeal under the Right To Information or RTI Act seeking details on the matter. Pakistan The Nation The PPP has rightly reminded the government of its promises to implement the Right to Information (RTI) Bill, and it is of utmost importance that the ... India 'Cops
Arbitrarily Closed 23pc FIRs in 3 Years' The New Indian Express Based on the data obtained through the Right To Information (RTI) Act, Evidence, the Madurai-based NGO working on Dalit issues, has claimed that ...
India 'Cops
Arbitrarily Closed 23pc FIRs in 3 Years' The New Indian Express Based on the data obtained through the Right To Information (RTI) Act, Evidence, the Madurai-based NGO working on Dalit issues, has claimed that ... UK Kent
police spent £1.2m on their PR budget in 2014/2015 a Freedom of Information request by the ... Kent Online Kent Police is the second highest spender out of county forces when it comes to their PR budget, a Freedom of Information request has revealed. Jamaica New
ATI Act to be tabled and passed this parliamentary year Jamaica Gleaner (subscription)
She said an expert on international access to information/freedom of information law took the recommendations of the joint select committee, and ... |
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