ISLAMABAD: Public bodies in Sindh province are disclosing an average of 54 percent of the information required under the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information (STRI) Act, 2016, according to the latest transparency assessment report by the Free and Fair Election Network (FAFEN).
According to FAFEN, the assessment is part of its Countering Disinformation through Information campaign, which underscores the importance of proactive disclosures by public authorities in enhancing institutional transparency and countering misinformation. The report evaluated 61 public bodies, comprising 36 Secretariat Departments and 25 Attached Departments, against the proactive disclosure requirements specified under Section 6 of the STRI Act. This law mandates disclosure across 14 categories, including organizational details, public services, legal frameworks, decision-making processes, and access to information, with an emphasis on online accessibility.
The report revealed that the Secretariat Departments performed better, disclosing an average of 59 percent of the required information, compared to 48 percent by the Attached Departments. The Finance Department, Investment Department, and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat were noted for their transparency, each disclosing 80 percent of the required information. The Information Department followed with 73 percent compliance. Among the Attached Departments, the Directorate of Human Rights and the Bureau of Statistics were the top performers.
Despite these instances of higher compliance, the assessment identified significant gaps, with nearly half of the required information undisclosed, especially in decision-making, financial transparency, and right to information procedures. Basic organizational information was the most disclosed category, while compliance was low for governance-related disclosures and subsidy and benefit programs.
FAFEN encourages Sindh’s provincial institutions to enhance proactive disclosure by utilizing digital platforms for timely public information access. The organization plans to share recommendations to improve the enforcement of the STRI Act and address transparency gaps.