Women’s Action Forum says RTI Amendment Bill 2021 will curtail citizens' rights
Pakistan
Photo: WAF/Twitter
The Women’s Action Forum (WAF) on Sunday condemned Senator Waleed Iqbal and others' action in moving the “Right of Access to Information (Amendment) Act, 2021” before the Senate.
According to a statement issued by the forum, the amendment bill aims to exclude the Senate, the National Assembly, their secretariats, committees and members from the definition of “public body”, contained in Section 2(ix)(c) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
As per the “Statement of Objects and Reasons”, this amendment bill is premised on an incorrect understanding of the role of Parliament, as a public body, in a democracy, and a deeply flawed understanding of Constitutional provisions, including Article 69 of the Constitution, the statement said.