LAHORE: Escalating proceedings in a Right to Access of information case involving official records of the Prime Minister’s helicopter, the Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has issued a show cause notice to the Secretary, Cabinet Division, for allegedly failing to implement its earlier order directing disclosure of information on helicopter usage, fuel expenditure, maintenance costs and operational staff, warning that statutory penalty proceedings may be initiated under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The show cause notice, a copy of which is available with Daily Jang, issued in Appeal No. 5193-12/2025, was passed by Information Commissioner Ijaz Hassan Awan and Chief Information Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui after the Commission found that its earlier directions had not been implemented despite the expiry of the prescribed compliance period.
According to the order, the Commission had, through its decision dated May 21, 2026, allowed an appeal filed by applicant Saddia Mazhar and directed the Secretary, Cabinet Division, to furnish the requested information both to the applicant and to the Commission within 10 days. However, when the matter came up for implementation proceedings, no representative of the Cabinet Division appeared before the Commission and no compliance report or requested information had been submitted.
Observing that the Cabinet Division had neither complied with its directions nor ensured representation before the Commission, the bench remarked that “neither any compliance report has been received nor anybody bothered to appear before the Commission.”
Consequently, the Commission ordered issuance of a show-cause notice to the Secretary, Cabinet Division, requiring him to explain why a penalty should not be imposed and why proceedings under Section 20(1)(f) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017 should not be initiated for non-implementation of the Commission’s lawful order.
The case has been adjourned until July 29, 2026 for further proceedings.
The proceedings originate from an information request submitted by Ms Mazhar on Dec 1, 2025 under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017, seeking detailed official data relating to the Prime Minister’s helicopter during successive governments.
The applicant requested the total number of helicopter trips undertaken by each Prime Minister during their respective tenures, the total amount spent on aviation fuel for those trips, total maintenance expenditure incurred on the Prime Minister’s helicopter, and the total number of personnel assigned for its operation, management and maintenance, including pilots, engineering and technical staff, ground crew and support personnel.
She also sought a year-wise breakdown of the information for each year from 2017 to 2025, identifying the Prime Minister in office, the number of helicopter trips, fuel expenditure, maintenance expenditure and the number of employees assigned during each year.
The request covered the tenure of former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi from Aug 1, 2017 to May 31, 2018, former Prime Minister Imran Khan from Aug 18, 2018 to Apr 10, 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif during the government formed on Apr 11, 2022 until Aug 13, 2023, and his current tenure commencing on Aug 13, 2023.
Following the Cabinet Division’s alleged failure to provide the information, the applicant approached the Pakistan Information Commission by filing an appeal.
During proceedings culminating in the Commission’s order of May 21, 2026, Arsalan Zohaib, Section Officer of the Cabinet Division, appeared on behalf of the public body.
The Cabinet Division, through a written reply dated Apr 15, 2026, maintained that information relating to the Prime Minister’s helicopter including its use, maintenance and expenditure was exempt from disclosure under Sections 7(c), 16(b)(v) and 16(f) of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017. A copy of the written response was forwarded to the applicant on Apr 21, 2026. Although no rejoinder was filed by the applicant, the Commission proceeded to adjudicate the matter because the public body had declined to disclose any information.
After examining the information request, the memorandum of appeal, the Cabinet Division’s written submissions and the relevant provisions of the law, the Commission concluded that none of the exemptions were legally applicable.
It observed that the requested information neither related to the armed forces, defence installations or national security, nor involved any disclosure likely to endanger property, public systems or the life, liberty or health of any individual. Instead, it held, the request concerned official information regarding the use, maintenance and expenditure of a helicopter utilised by the Prime Minister during specified periods and therefore fell within the framework of public accountability envisaged by the Right of Access to Information Act.
Holding that the exemptions claimed by the Cabinet Division had no legal basis in the circumstances of the case, the Commission ruled that the information sought was fully consistent with the transparency objectives embodied in the preamble of the Act.
Allowing the appeal, the Commission directed the Secretary, Cabinet Division, to provide the complete information to both the applicant and the Commission within 10 days.
The failure to comply has prompted the Commission to proceed against public officials who fail to implement its lawful orders.
The outcome of the proceedings is expected to determine whether the Cabinet Division will be compelled to disclose the requested records or whether statutory penalties will be imposed for continued non-compliance with the Commission’s directives.
