THE right to know or access to information is one of the basic human rights. The United Nations in its very first session in 1946 had declared freedom of information as a fundamental human right and virtually made it the touchstone of all the freedoms to which this international body is consecrated.
Information is considered as the oxygen of democracy. This means the masses has the right to question or to know about the actions and decisions of their leaders or an institution at all levels. Timely information serves the public and ultimately strengthens democracy and contributes to the good governance.
Access to information is like empowering people by giving them the information that can help them gain control over their lives, which strengthens the participatory democracy.
Under international obligations, Pakistan is the first country in South Asia that came up with a Freedom of Information Ordinance in 1997 initially. Later, this legislation was fine-tuned in the shape of Freedom of Information Act 2002.
The major problem with this law is that it only deals with federal ministries and divisions. Moreover, the procedures and exemptions given to the departments under this law too make this legislation virtually ineffective. But at least there is some instrument that one can opt for to claim access to information.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa doesn’t have any such law till date. Neither the former clergy-led government nor the incumbent nationalist coalition setup moved in the assembly the bill that is gathering dust for the last almost eight years.
In this scenario, when the citizens do not have access to information, media is the only source they rely on to get a sense of what is happening around them.
But the media too doesn’t have access to information, particularly when it comes to the security-related affairs or complicated financial decisions. It has to rely on what the government ministers or officials feed them. There are fewer avenues that can be explored to have authentic information.
Situation on policies governing state machinery and financial decisions is no different. The level of secrecy can be gauged from the fact that the media is not provided the annual budget documents except the finance minister’s speech.
Nosy reporters have to manage on their own the Finance Bill, which mainly deals with the tax measures, just to serve the public interest by giving them timely information about the decisions that are going to impact their lives.
This mindset of hiding even those notifications published in the official gazette means that the media is forced to resort to speculation, which can then be used against them to further undermine their credibility, or even as a justification for initiating legal proceedings against them.
Apart from access to information, freedom of movement, which is too considered as a human right, is also restricted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Walls around the government installations, offices and residences of governor, chief minister and other high officials have been erected by permanently closing down a number of access roads for the public.
Similarly, traffic jams as a result of VIPs movement have become a permanent feature of Peshawaris life. Both the civil secretariats of the province and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas have virtually been turned into fortress, where the public entry is restricted.
Citizens and even civil servants have to visit these offices for different purposes mainly because the bureaucracy is not that much responsive or doesn’t have an effective complaint redressal system that the citizens can have their genuine work done at their homes or offices.
The government justifies closure of such roads, raising walls around the important places or restricting entry of visitors citing precarious security situation. No doubt, the current situation demands extraordinary efforts to save precious lives, but the question is there a limit to such measures.
Technology has the solution for our problems. Latest scanners are out there in the market that can sense explosives and forewarn the security personnel.
The fallout of militancy in the adjoining tribal areas is a problem we have to live with for quite some more time. But, instead of taking measures to hinder free movement of people, investment can be made for procuring technology to upgrading the security system.
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