Missing, ineffective or debilitated, information commissions lie at the heart of this malaise. Unlike scores of other sleepy and ineffective commissions, the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) at Islamabad is creating new traditions of excellence and professionalism. Using their right to information, the citizens demanded copies of the contracts that defined the wages of CAA’s contracted janitors. There is much to learn and emulate from this example, both for citizens and other information commissions. In a scenario of painfully slow and expensive judicial processes, one hopes that effective information commissions and a responsible citizenry will become the next best option for accountability and change in Pakistan.

Source: The Express Tribune February 26, 2020 03:57 UTC