At a provincial consultation in Peshawar, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission underscored the central role of the Right to Information in securing other basic rights. The event, organised by the Directorate General of Law & Human Rights Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in collaboration with UNDP, brought together government departments, civil society and students to discuss implementation of the National Action Plan on Human Rights.
Syed Saadat Jehan, Deputy Director Communication at KPIC, said Right to Information enables citizens to obtain the documentation and data needed to claim entitlements such as scholarships, social welfare benefits and employment protections. He emphasised that access to timely information is often the first step in enforcing broader social and economic rights.
Representatives from the Ministry of Human Rights, Social Welfare Department Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Labour Department, police officials, academia, health authorities, KPCSW, KPRTPSC, ombudsmen, members of civil society and students participated in the consultation. Discussions focused on practical measures to ensure human rights obligations are met across provincial institutions.
Mr Jehan called for a coordinated mechanism among human rights implementation authorities to make the Right to Information more effective on the ground. He urged agencies to work together to raise public awareness about laws that protect rights in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and to simplify procedures by which citizens can request information.
He also advocated establishing a referral mechanism between institutional bodies to accelerate redressal of citizen complaints and reduce bureaucratic delays. Strengthening the Right to Information framework, he said, will improve transparency, accountability and the realisation of human rights for vulnerable groups throughout the province.
