KARACHI (HRNW) – The Sindh High Court (SHC) has taken up a petition filed by the Arts Council of Pakistan, Karachi, challenging a recent directive by the Sindh Information Commission (SIC) that ordered the council to provide access to internal information.
Court Proceedings
The court issued notices to all relevant parties, seeking their formal responses within four weeks. The legal battle centers on whether the Arts Council qualifies as a “public body” under transparency laws.
Arguments by the Petitioner
Representing the Arts Council, Advocate Faisal Siddiqi presented several key arguments against the Commission’s decision:
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Due Process: The counsel argued that the SIC issued its order without providing the Arts Council a fair opportunity to present its stance.
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Organizational Status: The petitioner maintained that the Arts Council is a non-profit organization operating independently of government control.
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Funding Transparency: It was argued that while the Sindh government provides certain grants, these represent only a limited portion of the Council’s total income. Under existing law, only private entities fully dependent on government funding can be declared public bodies.
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Privacy Concerns: The council expressed serious reservations regarding the nature of the requested information, which includes personal details of members and other sensitive data. The counsel argued that disclosing such private information violates the constitutional right to privacy.
Legal Demands
The petitioner has requested the court to declare the Sindh Information Commission’s orders illegal. Furthermore, the council has sought a stay order to prevent relevant authorities from taking any adverse action against the Arts Council until the matter is resolved.
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