RIGHT TO INFORMATION: A STEP TOWARDS GOOD GOVERNANCE IN PAKISTAN

Amir Ahmed Khuhro¹, Ali Nawaz Soomro^2
1Prof. Dr. Director Institute of International Relations, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Pakistan, amir.khuhro@salu.edu.pk
²Teaching Assistant & Ph.D. Research Scholar, Department of Political Science, Shah Abdul Latif University, Khairpur, Pakistan, alinawaz.soomro@salu.edu.pk

Abstract
With the passage of time majority of the states have changed their political system from other kinds to democratic, because democracy is the only political system which cares for the public opinion. In democracy, the people have right to vote, through which they elect their choice of representatives directly or indirectly. It is the only system for which the term good governance is being used. The term good governance can be used for the government which protects the rights of the people and provide them equal opportunities, care for public opinion, whose policies are clear and crystal before the common peoples and where no underhand game is being played. That’s why it is known as a government which is participatory, accountable and transparent, where all the citizens are equal before the law. With the passage of time the laws are made to make the government more accountable and its policies transparent, for this purpose majority of the states have incorporated the right to information in their constitution. Through this right the people can have access to public related information, which enable the peoples to keep eye on government, in return the corruption can be decreased and it will create more accountable government. It will create hindrance in the way of abuse of power and corruption. Pakistan is a democratic state and there is a separate chapter of fundamental rights in the constitution of Pakistan, in April 2010 through eighteenth amendment article 19-A was incorporated in the 1973 constitution of Pakistan regarding right to information aiming to create more accountable, transparent and participatory system. This research paper is an attempt to analyze that how right to information can be a step towards good governance in Pakistan.

Keywords: Right to Information, Good Governance, Transparency, Accountability, Government, Democracy, Pakistan.