ISLAMABAD: Public bodies in the Sindh province proactively disclose an average of 54 percent of the information required under the Sindh Transparency and Right to Information (STRI) Act, 2016, says the latest transparency assessment report released by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen).
The assessment is part of Fafen’s countering disinformation through information campaign, which highlights the importance of proactive disclosures by public authorities in strengthening institutional transparency and countering mis- and disinformation.
The assessment reviewed 61 public bodies in Sindh province, including 36 Secretariat Departments and 25 Attached Departments, against the proactive disclosure requirements prescribed under Section 6 of the STRI Act.
The law mandates proactive disclosure across 14 categories of information, including organisational details, public services, legal frameworks, decision-making processes, and access to information. It also emphasises the publication of updated information in accessible formats, including online.
Overall, the Secretariat Departments performed relatively better, disclosing an average 59 percent of the required information, while Attached Departments disclosed only 48 percent.
Among the Secretariat Departments, the Finance Department, Investment Department, and the Chief Minister’s Secretariat emerged as the most transparent, each disclosing 80 percent of the required information. The Information Department followed closely with 73 percent compliance.
Among Attached Departments, the Directorate of Human Rights led with 73 percent compliance, followed by the Bureau of Statistics with 67 percent. Despite these higher-performing institutions, the assessment found significant gaps in compliance across most public bodies. Nearly half of the required information remains undisclosed, particularly in areas related to decision-making, financial transparency, and implementation of the right to information procedures.
Basic organisational information, such as particulars of functions and duties, was the most widely available category, disclosed by 95 percent of public bodies. Information on public services and service delivery conditions, as well as applicable legal frameworks, was also disclosed by 95 percent of assessed bodies. However, compliance dropped sharply for governance-related disclosures: only 15 percent disclosed decision-making processes, 10pc disclosed details of administrative and developmental decisions, and 54 pc published partial or complete budget information.
Disclosure of subsidy and benefit programmes remained limited, with only five percent of public bodies publishing relevant details, while seven percent disclosed information about recipients of concessions, permits, licenses, or authorisations. Fafen urged Sindh’s institutions to strengthen proactive disclosure practices by leveraging digital platforms to make timely information publicly accessible.
