PIC orders disclosure of National Assembly committee expenses

The Pakistan Information Commission has directed the National Assembly Secretariat to provide detailed records of expenses, travel allowances, perks and privileges linked to parliamentary standing committees and subcommittees.

The order was issued by Information Commissioner Ijaz Hassan Awan and Chief Information Commissioner Shoaib Ahmad Siddiqui after journalist Saddia Mazhar challenged the response to her request for information. The commission instructed the NA secretary to answer 13 outstanding questions clearly and specifically within 10 days.

Mazhar had sought information in June about committee operations and expenditures from January 2025 onwards. Her request included the number of standing committees and subcommittees, meetings held, costs incurred for meetings, travel allowances paid to members and chairpersons, and details of other benefits or payments.

After receiving what she considered an incomplete response, she filed an appeal in July. During the proceedings, the NA Secretariat provided replies that were shared with the applicant, but she maintained that only the question about the list of standing committees had been properly addressed.

The commission noted that while a substantial amount of parliamentary information was already available online, the material did not directly answer the specific questions raised in the request. It stressed that public bodies must provide objective and precise information under the Right of Access to Information Act, even where related material has been placed on a website.

The NA Secretariat has now been directed to provide complete replies to questions two through 14. Compliance proceedings are scheduled for November 19, when the commission will review whether the order has been implemented.

Under the right-to-information law, Pakistani citizens may request identifiable records from public bodies. Information concerning benefits, privileges, contracts, agreements and similar matters involving public institutions is generally subject to public disclosure under the law.

The directive places fresh attention on transparency in the functioning and spending of parliamentary committees. The outcome of the compliance hearing will determine whether the requested financial and operational details are released in full.