- By: Habib Ullah Aurakzai
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa introduced the Right to Information (RTI) Act in 2013 to promote a transparent government. Every person is entitled under this legislation to ask questions of government agencies without having to explain the motive. It is a law designed for common people. Still, more than ten years later, most people are unaware it even exists.
Though I participate actively in local affairs, I just came across this statute in 2025 during a youth conference. That revelation opened eyes. I understood I had long attacked the corrupt government without knowing I had legal means to hold leaders responsible.
Among the most potent information laws in the world is the KP RTI Act. It provides quick access to public documents within ten days or two days in an emergency. Established in 2014, the KP Information Commission oversees its execution. 2018 amendments gave the commission authority to punish officials who slow down or refuse requests. The legislation is clearly effective, as evidenced by the more than 60 fines it has already imposed. Still, awareness is a big challenge, particularly in tribal and rural regions. By teaching people to properly document RTIs, groups such as the Centre for Governance and Public Accountability (CGPA) want to reverse this. One instance from Lower Dir is when farmers revealed irrigation delays using RTI and called for a fast government response.
Social media is becoming an unusual ally. From health project anomalies in Battagram to dormitory budget mishandling at a university, RTI has found problems that may otherwise have been concealed. The results have ranged from complete audits to administrative action. Scholars such as Prof. Dr. Zahid Anwar, also from the University of Peshawar, and Shazia Sultan, PhD researcher at the Department of Political Science, University of Peshawar, certify that KP’s RTI law satisfies worldwide criteria in openness, cost, and complaint handling. Nevertheless, some departments still object to the application. Officers have no training. Some bodies—like the Peshawar High Court—remain beyond the purview of the Act. Advice from experts is to widen coverage and boost digital accessibility.
RTI is an instrument of democratic involvement, not only a legal entitlement. Is this anything we are using?