It’s good to read that at least one political party is actually interested in legislation..
By Asim Yasin
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians on Thursday submitted a freedom of information bill in the National Assembly to “provide citizens appropriate knowledge of government activities”.
The bill was moved by PPPP’s Sherry Rehman and 14 other lawmakers. “The PPP bill protects information from being destroyed by an official seeking to cover-up records by deeming this act as an offence punishable by imprisonment and fines,” said Sherry Rehman and Senator Farhatullah Babar while addressing a press conference. Sherry termed the bill a comprehensive piece of legislation.
The bill says if the government seeks exemption to certain information under the provision of “national security”, it had to record reason in writing how the disclosure of information would endanger national security, she said. The MP said the bill also provides protection against record being destroyed by bureaucracy to prevent its disclosure. “Destruction of record has been made an offence punishable with fine and imprisonment.” She said the bill also introduces immunity from prosecution for “whistle blowers”. Babar said good governance rests on tripod of accountability, transparency and public participation.
He said this tripod rested on the foundation of right to information, adding that as the government ordinance was weak and suffered from many weaknesses.