CHAKWAL City News

‘Right to Information Act an effective law’

From Our Correspondent

CHAKWAL: Chief Information Commissioner Justice (retd) Mazhar Hussain Minhas has said that the Right to Information Act, Punjab, is a very effective law and it should be implemented in its true spirit.

He said this while addressing the District Bar Association members here on Saturday. Information Commissioner Chakwal Mukhtar Ahmed and Information Commissioner Ali Ahmed were also accompanied by him. Chief Information Commissioner Justice (retd) Mazhar Hussain Minhas said that there were some hurdles to implement the law due to shortage of staff, furniture and other equipment, adding that those government officials who were not providing information to the people would be dealt according to the law. The chief commissioner told that government departments were bound to provide information regarding their development, functioning and even their corruption on a plane paper within 14 days. If it was not provided, he added, the applicant could move an application to the commission. He told that those officials found guilty, would be proceeded according to the law and the salary of the official would be withheld and even fine could be imposed on him. He assured that if the law implements in its true spirit, functioning of various departments would not only be improved but this would also stop the ways of corruption. He urged the lawyers, media and civil society to come forward and ask the government departments to provide information regarding corruption and other malpractices.

DBA president Khawaja Asghar Farooq, secretary Malik Azhar Hussain and others were also present.

WOMAN KILLED, 5 HURT IN ACCIDENT: A woman was killed while five others sustained injuries in an accident at Salt Range area on Saturday.

A jeep was on its way to Islamabad from Lahore when it overturned while taking a sharp turn on the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway. As a result, Saira Begum died on the spot while five others sustained injuries. The injured were rushed to a hospital. Kalar Kahar police have registered a case.