Key Takeaways
- Transparency International Pakistan report shows poor compliance with right to information laws.
- Punjab has the highest overall compliance at 59 percent, while Balochistan scores the lowest at 28 percent.
- Budget and expenditure information are among the weakest areas of disclosure.
A recent report by Transparency International Pakistan highlights the failure of government departments across Pakistan to comply with their legal obligations to proactively disclose public information. The report, released ahead of Global Right to Know Day on September 28, assesses the performance of 98 federal and provincial government departments against disclosure requirements under relevant right to information laws.
The overall compliance rate varies significantly, ranging from 28 percent in Balochistan to 59 percent in Punjab. Punjab leads the way with the highest overall compliance, followed by the federal government at 47 percent, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at 41 percent, Sindh at 31 percent, and Balochistan at 28 percent.
The report found that budget and expenditure information are among the weakest areas of disclosure across all jurisdictions. Information about Public Information Officers, who are crucial for citizens seeking information, is also poorly disclosed in several areas, limiting citizens' ability to identify whom to contact when information is not available online.
In the federal government, the Ministry of Finance, Revenue and Economic Affairs had the highest score at 83 percent, followed by the Ministry of Law and Justice at 75 percent. The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives scored 72 percent, while the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination scored 67 percent. The Ministry of Water Resources and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs both recorded 22 percent, placing them in the report’s minimal compliance category.
Provincial governments also show varying levels of compliance. Punjab recorded the highest provincial compliance at 59 percent, with the Environment Protection and Climate Change Department leading with 83 percent. The Health Department had the lowest score in Punjab at 29 percent, followed by the Board of Revenue at 35 percent.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa recorded 41 percent across 22 departments. The Climate Change, Forestry, Environment and Wildlife Department had the highest score at 72 percent, followed by the Communication and Works Department at 70 percent. The Directorate of Industries and Commerce and Labour Department recorded the lowest scores at 7 percent each.
Sindh recorded 31 percent across 25 departments. The Bureau of Statistics, Planning and Development Department led with 64 percent, followed by the Finance Department at 58 percent. The Industries and Commerce Department recorded the lowest score at 11 percent, while the Sindh Governor House scored 12 percent.
Balochistan had the lowest overall compliance at 28 percent across 19 departments. The Planning and Development Department scored the highest at 58 percent, followed by the Local Government and Rural Development Department at 53 percent. The Finance and Industries and Commerce departments each scored 6 percent, while four departments, including Climate Change and Environment, Irrigation, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and
