By– Abdul Salam Baitab
Bannu: The RTI information board has been inaugurated. The board was inaugurated by Additional Deputy Commissioner (Finance) Umar Khattab Khan on the instructions of the Deputy Commissioner Bannu.
Speaking to the media on the occasion of the inauguration, Additional Deputy Commissioner Umar Khattab Khan said that the Right to Information (RTI) Act was introduced in the province to eliminate corruption and malpractice, and it is an excellent law. He said that this law has brought institutions under the scope of accountability and has given citizens the power to ask questions. If institutions fulfill their responsibilities and the public starts asking questions from them, it will make good governance possible.
He further said that all institutions in Pakistan that are engaged in public service are accountable to the people because the system is run through taxpayers’ money. Therefore, under the RTI Act, the public has the right to ask how their tax money is being spent. One benefit of this Act is that it will also help ensure the implementation of merit-based policies.
He added that the doors of government offices are open to the public and citizens can submit applications to obtain any kind of information.
On this occasion, Chief Executive of CDPK, Faiz Mashal, gave a detailed briefing regarding the organization’s activities related to RTI in Bannu. He said that to create awareness among the public about this Act, seminars and workshops have been organized with various educational institutions, journalists, trader organizations, and the district administration. In addition, several webinars were also arranged in which people from different walks of life participated online to learn about the Act.
He further explained that installing information boards in the offices of the district administration is also part of this effort, because people who come here often have complaints against various institutions or need assistance. Through these boards, they will be able to obtain information and learn how to access information from different institutions under the Right to Information Act.
