Transparency International Pakistan highlights the need for enhancements to the Right to Information Act. The organization's research emphasizes the importance of protecting whistleblowers to combat corruption effectively.
Summary
ISLAMABAD: Transparency International Pakistan has called for improvement to the Right to Information Act and providing protection to whistleblowers.
Akber Panjwani, project coordinator at the TI, told JournalismPakistan that his organization conducted a two-year research evaluating the key institutions of governance which are responsible for the progress of integrity and eliminating corruption from the country.
The findings of the research stress the importance of the Right to Information and whistleblower protection laws as presence of these oversight elements will help promote rule of law in Pakistan, Panjwani said.
The right to information law has been enacted at the federal level and in the provinces of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa but there is still room for improvement, he said.
“The act is silent on providing legal, administrative and employment-related protection to whistleblowers for disclosing corruption. It transmits the perception that by doing so the government is least interested to reduce corruption,” he said.
Panjwani said that risk of corruption significantly increases in situations where the reporting of malpractice is not sheltered. “The protection of whistleblower is crucial to encourage the reporting of misconduct, fraud, and corruption,” he said.
Key Points
TI calls for improvements to the Right to Information Act.
Whistleblower protection is crucial for reporting misconduct.
Research findings point to the need for legal protections for whistleblowers.
Corruption risks increase in the absence of oversight.
Strengthening the Act can help promote the rule of law in Pakistan.
Dig deeper, ask anything — get instant context, background, and clarity.
Disclaimer: This feature is powered by AI and is intended to help readers explore and understand news stories more easily. While we strive for accuracy, AI-generated responses may occasionally be incomplete or reflect limitations in the underlying model. This feature does not represent the editorial views of JournalismPakistan. For our full, verified reporting, please refer to the original article.
June 12, 2026: Freedom Network recorded five incidents in Pakistan in May 2026: four legal cases against journalists and one death threat, spotlighting risks to press freedom.
June 09, 2026: GNN journalist Yasir Ayaz Khan, missing from Islamabad since June 5, was found in Swabi after four days and handed over to police while inquiries continue.
June 08, 2026: Pakistan Media Monitor documents key developments affecting journalism, press freedom, broadcasting, digital platforms and regulation from May 25-June 8, 2026.
June 08, 2026: Five incidents in one week - including a journalist's killing, disappearance reports, a re-arrest, threatened arrests and channel layoffs - expose growing threats to press freedom in Pakistan.
June 07, 2026: GNN journalist Yasir Ayaz Khan has been reported missing in Islamabad after leaving home around 5 pm on June 5; the channel filed a complaint, and police have opened a probe.
June 05, 2026: Pakistani camerapersons face serious risks covering floods, protests and attacks, often without training, protective gear or employer support.
May 31, 2026: May showed Pakistan's media under pressure from cybercrime enforcement, legal cases, newsroom layoffs and salary delays, plus tightened access for journalists.
May 24, 2026: Journalists walked out of the Parliament press gallery after claims that a Geo News reporter was barred from covering proceedings after questioning Bilawal.
June 15, 2026 From Pele to Messi, World Cup finals shaped football's global story, tracing triumphs and heartbreaks and showing how the game became a shared language.
June 14, 2026 Across Asia, RTI laws range from effective tools for journalism and accountability to paper laws weakened by bureaucracy, broad exemptions and poor enforcement.
June 14, 2026 OSINT helps journalists verify social media, photos, videos, maps and public records to improve reporting accuracy and detect misinformation.
June 13, 2026 Ethiopia expelled French reporter A. Passilly after Tigray reporting, drawing criticism from press groups as retaliatory and damaging to press freedom.