The document outlines 10 principles of the right to access information: 1) Access to information is a universal right regardless of nationality or profession. 2) All government information should be public by default with limited exceptions. 3) The right applies to all public bodies including private entities performing public functions. 4) Requesting information should be simple, speedy and free. 5) Officials have a duty to assist requestors. 6) Refusals must be justified by harm to legitimate interests like security or privacy. 7) The public interest in information overrides secrecy.

1. 05th March, 2015
Shehri-CBE & FOSI-P
Hotel Movenpick, Karachi
105 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment

2. Anyone may request information, regardless of
nationality or profession. There should be no
citizenship requirements and no need to justify why
the information is being sought.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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# 1
ACCESS TO
INFORMATION IS A RIGHT
OF EVERYONE

3. All information held by government bodies is public in
principle. Information can be withheld only for a narrow
set of legitimate reasons set forth in international law
and also codified in national law.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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# 2
ACCESS IS THE RULE …
SECRECY IS THE
EXCEPTION !

4. # 3
THE RIGHT APPLIES TO
ALL
PUBLIC BODIES
The public has a right to receive information in the
possession of any institution funded by the public and
private bodies performing public functions, such as water
and electricity providers.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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5. # 4
MAKING REQUESTS
SHOULD BE SIMPLE,
SPEEDY, AND FREE
Making a request should be simple. Only requirements
should be to supply a name, address and description of
the information sought. Requestors should be able to file
requests in writing or orally. Information should be
provided within a short timeframe. The cost should not
be greater than the reproduction of documents.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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6. # 5
OFFICIALS HAVE
A DUTY TO
ASSIST REQUESTORS
Public officials should assist requestors in making their
requests. If a request is submitted to the wrong public
body, officials should transfer the request to the
appropriate body.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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7. Governments may only withhold information from public
access if disclosure would cause demonstrable harm to
legitimate interests, such as national security or privacy.
These exceptions must be clearly and specifically defined
by law. Any refusal must clearly state the reasons for
withholding the information.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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# 6
REFUSALS
MUST BE
JUSTIFIED

8. # 7
THE PUBLIC INTEREST
TAKES PRECEDENCE
OVER SECRECY
Information must be released when the public interest
outweighs any harm in releasing it. There is a strong
presumption that information about threats to the
environment, health, or human rights, and information
revealing corruption, should be released, given the high
public interest in such information.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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9. # 8
EVERYONE HAS THE
RIGHT TO APPEAL AN
ADVERSE DECISION
All requestors have the right to a prompt and effective
judicial review of a public body’s refusal or failure to
disclose information.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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10. # 9
PUBLIC BODIES SHOULD
PROACTIVELY PUBLISH
CORE INFORMATION
Every public body should make readily available
information about its functions and responsibilities,
without need for a request. This information should
be current, clear, and in plain language.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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11. # 10
THE RIGHT SHOULD BE
GUARANTEED BY AN
INDEPENDENT BODY
An independent agency, such as an information
commission, should be established to review
refusals, promote awareness, and advance the right
to access information.
05 March 2015 Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
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12. GROWTH IN NUMBER OF RTI LAWS
OVER TIME
05 March 2015 12Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment

13. CENTRE FOR LAW AND DEMOCRACY RTI RATING
In the RTI Rating methodology there are 61 indicators drawn from
international standards developed by UN and regional human
right bodies.
For each indicator, countries earn points within a set range of
scores (0-2)
05 March 2015 13Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment

14. CENTRE FOR LAW AND DEMOCRACY RTI RATING
(28th Sept. 2012)
 Pakistan’s rating was 82 (score of 66) among
100 nations.
 Serbia with a score of 135 was first,
 with Slovenia second (score of 129)
 and India third (score of 128).
05 March 2015 14
SCORE RANGE NUMBER OF COUNTRIES
37 - 69 24
70 - 102 49
103 - 135 22
Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment

15. SINDH, KP & PUNJAB LAWS
To-date, Shehri has filed 244 FOI requests under Sindh FOI Act, 2006:
KP RTI ACT, 2013: (RTI Commission)
PUNJAB TRANSPARENCY & RTI ACT, 2013: (RTI Commission)
05 March 2015 15Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FILED: 244
Number of Requests Resolved: 67 (28 %)
Number of Request Pending: 177 (72 %)
Number of Requests Resolved Without Appeal: 09
TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FILED: 233
Number of Requests Resolved: 135 (58 %)
Number of Request Pending: 98 (72 %)
TOTAL NUMBER OF REQUESTS FILED: 480
Number of Requests Resolved: 185 (39 %)
Number of Request Pending: 295 (61 %)

16. SINDH, KP & PUNJAB LAWS
Sindh FOI Act, 2006:
KP RTI ACT, 2013: (RTI Commission)
PUNJAB TRANSPARENCY & RTI ACT, 2013: (RTI Commission)
“PUBLIC OPINION ON QUALITY OF GOVERNANCE IN PAKISTAN”
by PILDAT
05 March 2015 16Dr. SYED RAZA ALI GARDEZI
Shehri-Citizens for Better Environment
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS APPOINTED: 0
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS APPOINTED: 600
TOTAL NUMBER OF PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICERS APPOINTED: 520
SINDH KP PUNJAB
TRANSPARENCY INDEX - 39 + 7 + 1