ISLAMABAD – The Right of Access to Information Bill, 2017 was presented before the senate on Monday.
Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb laid before the House “The Right of Access to Information Bill, 2017”.
The chair referred the bill to the Standing Committee for report. The bill was introduced to ensure that the citizens of Pakistan may have the fullest possible access to public records.
It is intended to promote a two way flow of information – from the government to the people and vice versa for strengthening and safeguarding the public’s right to know. This is especially important in the backdrop of Article 19-A of the Constitution which explicitly recognizes this right as a fundamental human right.
The bill recognizes that it is an inalienable birth right of an individual and is universally recognized in a democratic dispensation.
Access to information is an essential pre-requisite to the people’s realization of their ideals of good and transparent governance.-Online
