Information Commissioners of Sindh Information Commission(SIC) Muhammad Saleem Khan and Noor Muhammad Dayo under section 13(4) of Sindh Right to Information and Transparency Act 2016 visited head office of Sehwan Development Authority,(SDA) at Jamshoro.
According to an offficial report today, they inspected record room, details of development projects, budget, staff and other matters of the Authority. Information Commissioners expressed displeasure over non functioning of website of SDA and directed the Director General to make it functional as soon as possible with proactive disclosures on it as required under section 6 of the said Act.They warned the officers of the Authority that non compliance of directives of Sindh Information Commission is punishable under the Act.
Information Commissioner Muhammad Saleem Khan on the occasion said that access to information was the basic right of every citizen of Pakistan and that right is also protected under section 19-A of constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan.”Under RTI Act all govermet entities are bound to disclose public interest information”,he added.
He further said that all government departments and institutions must appoint a designated officer of grade 16 or above as public information officer.
Information Commissioner Noor Muhammad Dayo said that non-disclosure of information or hide such information has penal consequences under section 15and 16 of the Act.”Change of designated officer should promptly be reported to the Commission for the sake of updating of record”,he directed.
Director General SDA tendered unconditional apology for non provision of required information despite the orders of the Commission.He pledged to fully comply with the directives of SIC in future. The Director General further requested to withdraw the Show Cause Notice Issued to him by the Commission.Upon his unconditional apology the Commission members taking a lenient view issued directives to withdraw the SCN.Later, Commission members visited dargah of Hazrat Lal Shabaz Qalandar at Sehwan Sharif and offered fateha at the mazar