Peshawar  -  The Right to Information (RTI) law empowers journalists to access authentic data for investigative reporting on climate-related issues, enabling effective reporting that serves the public interest and promotes transparency in the utilization of public funds.

Farah Hamid Khan, Chief Information Commissioner, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information Commission (KPIC), highlighted this while addressing a session on RTI for journalists. The session was part of a workshop titled Intersection of Climate Policy & Journalism: Empowering Journalists for Informed Reporting, organized by Transparency International-Pakistan (TI-P) in collaboration with KPIC, at a local hotel in Peshawar.

The workshop was attended by over 30 journalists and experts from 17 vulnerable districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, along with Kashif Ali Shaikh, Executive Director of TI-Pakistan, and Dr. Shakeel Khan, Lecturer at the University of Peshawar. The event focused on enhancing journalists’ capacity for investigative journalism through effective use of RTI.

Farah Hamid emphasized the critical role of RTI as a tool for journalists to detect irregularities in public fund utilization by government institutions, particularly in the context of climate finance transparency. She stressed that RTI equips journalists with the ability to obtain vital data, enabling in-depth investigation and impactful reporting on climate-related challenges.

Participants gained valuable insights and practical tools to foster greater participation and accountability in climate action through informed journalism.