ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) has directed the National Assembly Secretariat to disclose records of lawyers engaged by the Secretariat, payments made to them, and details of court cases handled by them, allowing an appeal filed under the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The order, issued on July 16, 2026, was passed in an appeal filed by journalist Saddia Mazhar against the National Assembly Secretariat.
According to the Commission’s order, Ms. Mazhar had submitted an information request on April 17, 2026, seeking five categories of information. The request included a year-wise list of lawyers, advocates, law firms, and legal consultants engaged by the National Assembly Secretariat from January 2022 onwards, together with a year-wise breakdown of payments made to each of them.
She also sought details of all cases filed by the National Assembly Secretariat before various courts since January 2022, including case numbers, case titles, and the names of the respective courts.
Additionally, the applicant requested information regarding payments made to lawyers engaged for filing Writ Petition No. 2553/2023 and Writ Petition No. 2554/2023 before the Islamabad High Court.
During the proceedings, the National Assembly Secretariat contended that the requested information was privileged under the Speaker’s Ruling dated October 4, 2024, and further claimed that it was protected as privileged communication under the Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order, 1984.
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After examining the information request, the Secretariat’s response, and the applicable legal provisions, the Commission rejected these arguments. It held that the requested information constitutes a public record and is not exempt from disclosure under any provision of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017.
The Commission further observed that the Speaker’s ruling does not classify information relating to payments made to lawyers as privileged. It also ruled that the provisions of the Qanoon-e-Shahadat Order, 1984, were inapplicable to the information sought.
Emphasizing the objectives of the Right of Access to Information Act, 2017, the Commission noted that the law is intended to promote transparency, accountability, public participation, good governance, and greater public access to information held by public bodies.
Allowing the appeal, the Pakistan Information Commission directed the Secretary, National Assembly Secretariat, to provide the requested information to both the applicant and the Commission within 10 days.
