Right to Information: Information Ministry, Senate body agree on 10 points in bill

The Information Ministry and members of the Senate Standing Committee for the Right to Information Bill, 2016 (RTI) have agreed on 10 points while recommending some amendments in the rest of the bill. The committee's meeting chaired by Senator Farhatullah Babar on Wednesday observed that not only general public but also parliamentarians are kept uninformed regarding a number of matters just in the name of national security.
Human rights violation and corruption are two topics wherein hiding any kind of information is out of the question, the chairman of the committee said, adding that any person can raise question on these two issues. Whereby if there is any harm observed while revealing the information with respect to national security, the minister concerned will have to give it in writing, which would not be challenged.
Minister of State for Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage Marriyum Aurangzeb informed the committee that information related to defence, security and intelligence agencies is restricted to some level even in India and Bangladesh.
The chairman committee, however, said that Ministry of Defence takes advantage of it even in defence committees and doesn't share information sought from them, saying the information is sensitive and can affect national security.
Senator Pervez Rashid while giving an example said, "The information which was not shared with us due to its sensitivity got published in foreign newspapers after two months." He said any information which is sensitive in nature can be briefed to the parliamentarians during in camera session.
The member committee said that the purpose is to provide the right to information subject only to reasonable restrictions established by the law, thus it is needed to define which information can be shared.
Senator Syed Shibli Faraz said that the committee needs to define a line which can distinguish between sensitive and secret information as well as which cannot be shared and what can be shared keeping the national security in view. The committee also agreed on sharing of information with respect to business and welfare activities of government institutions.
Among others the meeting was also attended by Senators Robina Khalid and Mukhtiar Ahmed Dhamrah, and other senior officials of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.