President Asif Ali Zardari has reaffirmed his commitment to protecting citizens’ right to information, stressing that timely, credible and reliable information is essential for meaningful public participation.
In his message on the International Day for Universal Access to Information, the president said the Constitution of Pakistan provides a clear foundation for citizens’ right to access information.
He noted that the 18th Constitutional Amendment strengthened the constitutional framework for freedom of expression and introduced Article 19-A, which grants every citizen the right to access information on matters of public importance, subject to reasonable legal restrictions.
Zardari said the Right of Access to Information Act 2017 provides a legal framework for access to information at the federal level.
However, he said the rapid growth of digital platforms, artificial intelligence and emerging technologies had transformed the way information is produced, distributed and consumed.
The president said the challenge was no longer limited to ensuring the availability of information, but also enabling citizens to distinguish reliable information from false, misleading and artificially manipulated content.
He said state and non-state actors, terrorist and criminal networks, as well as powerful technology companies, could distort information or use it for their own interests.
Zardari emphasised the growing role of public-interest journalists, media organisations, communication professionals, researchers and other experts in helping citizens access accurate and credible information.
He stressed that efforts to counter monetised misinformation and disinformation must not be
