ISLAMABAD-UNS : The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has directed the Benazir Income Support Program (BISP) to publicly disclose the list of government employees, pensioners, and spouses of government employees who irregularly received cash transfers from the BISP program. This directive follows an appeal by citizen Saad Ullah, who exercised his right to information under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
Saad Ullah’s appeal sought a detailed list of government employees and pensioners who irregularly received cash transfers, including their names, grades, and the total disbursed amounts. He also requested similar information regarding the spouses of government employees and pensioners who received cash transfers irregularly.
BISP initially did not respond to the information request, prompting Saad Ullah to file an appeal with the Pakistan Information Commission. In its response to the PIC, BISP argued that the requested information was exempt from disclosure under sections 7 (g) and 16 (g) (ii) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. BISP further stated that 140,000 government employees had been excluded from the list of beneficiaries in 2019.
However, the Pakistan Information Commission rejected BISP’s plea, asserting that the exemption claimed for those who received BISP allowances through deception was unjustified and contrary to the Act’s preamble. The PIC emphasized the importance of transparency and the need to discourage wrongful practices.
The Commission’s order states, “The exemption claimed for the persons who have received BISP allowance through deception is not justified and negates the ingredients mentioned in the preamble of the Act.” The order also noted that BISP representatives were unable to provide a satisfactory response when confronted with the situation.
The PIC highlighted that in a similar appeal, such names had previously been shared, underscoring the necessity of transparency in this matter. In light of these considerations, the PIC has directed BISP to disclose the names of the irregular beneficiaries as requested by the appellant within 10 days. Failure to comply will result in penal proceedings against the concerned officers of BISP.
The Secretary of BISP has been instructed to ensure the provision of this information within the specified timeframe to uphold the principles of transparency and accountability.
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