PU organizes seminar on access to information

LAHORE: Speakers at seminar on access to information have called upon the need to create awareness among the people at large regarding Right to Information Act and enhance and capacity of relevant stakeholders for its better utilization and ensure transparency. They were addressing a seminar organized by the Registrar office. Chief Information Commissioner Punjab Mahboob Qadir, Head School of Communication Studies Prof Dr Noshina Saleem, Registrar Dr Muhammad Khalid Khan, PU Public Information Officer and Deputy Registrar Ahmed Islam, faculty members, administrative officers and a large number of students participated in the seminar.

Addressing the seminar, Chief Information Commissioner Mahboob Qadir said that the RTI Act had brought a silent revolution to ensure transparency in public offices. He said that the right to information was as important as the right to live. He said that the basic objective of the RTI Act was to ensure good governance and eliminate corruption. He said that there was a need to create awareness about the RTI Act among the people. He said that there was a need to hire regular public information officers at all institutions. He said that the Punjab Information Commission was disposing off complaints at deliberate speed. He appreciated the role of Ahmed Islam with reference to immediate disposal of RTI requests at PU. Dr Noshina Saleem said that there was a need to create awareness about the RTI Act as it was necessary to keep things straight at government departments.