How to Complain to the Punjab Information Commission When Your RTI Request Is Refused
Complain to the Punjab Information Commission in Lahore when an office refuses or ignores your RTI request: papers, address, email, free filing and timelines.
Short answer: If a Punjab office refuses your right to information request or does not reply, write a complaint to the Chief Information Commissioner, Punjab Information Commission, Lahore. Attach your original request and proof of delivery. It is free. You can hand it in, post it or email pic.info.pk@gmail.com.
Many requests fail quietly. The office says nothing, or sends a reply that does not answer the question. The Punjab Information Commission exists for this case. It can order the office to hand over the records and can fine officers who delay or refuse without cause.
We read the Commission's complaint pages on 13 October 2026. Two of them give different filing deadlines. We explain that below so you do not lose your right by waiting.
You may complain when access is wrongly denied or late
The Commission's page lists grounds such as wrongful denial of access and failure to give information in the stipulated time. If your Public Information Officer (PIO) refused, delayed or gave wrong or misleading information, you have grounds to complain.
First, make sure you filed a proper request. If you have not, start with the steps to file a right to information request in Punjab. The 14 working day reply time must pass before you complain about silence.
Internal review is optional and the Commission is the next step
You can ask the head of the public body to review the PIO's decision, or you can go straight to the Commission. The Commission's complaint mechanism page says these steps are not compulsory in sequence, and you may skip the internal review.
| Route | Goes to | Time to answer |
|---|---|---|
| Internal review | Head of the public body | 14 working days |
| Commission complaint | Chief Information Commissioner, Lahore | 30 working days, at most 60 |
The Commission's timeline page says you have 60 days to ask for an internal review. It counts from the PIO's reply, or from the day the PIO's time ran out.
The Commission's pages differ on the filing deadline
The complaint procedure page says to file within 14 working days. The timeline page says no time limit is prescribed for a complaint to the Commission. We could not settle this from the two pages, so file as early as you can and within 14 working days to be safe.
We cannot say which page is correct. The full Act is the final word, and we could not read it on an official page. If your 14 days have already passed, still file, and state the dates clearly in your letter.
Prepare the papers before you write
The Commission asks for three papers: your original request to the PIO, proof that you sent it, and a complaint on plain paper or in the Commission's format. The proof can be a dispatch receipt or a diary number.
- Address it to the Chief Information Commissioner, Punjab Information Commission, Lahore.
- Give the name and contact details of the PIO and the head of the public body.
- Write what you asked for, the date you sent it and what the office replied, if anything.
- State what you want, such as an order to give the records.
- Add a line saying you have not filed the same complaint anywhere else at the same time.
- Put your address, email and phone at the bottom, and attach copies of all papers.
File it free by hand, post or email
The Commission says the appeal is free of charge, with no fee for filing or processing. You can deliver it by hand, post it or email it. The address and phone numbers below are from the Commission's contact page.
| Detail | What the Commission lists |
|---|---|
| Address | 64 Nursery Lane, Lawrence Road, near China Chowk, Lahore |
| Phone, main | (042) 99205794 |
| Phone, admin wing | (042) 99205774 |
| pic.info.pk@gmail.com |
Ask for an acknowledgment. The Commission says you should receive one within 3 working days. If you do not, phone the numbers above and quote your date of filing.
What happens after you file
The Commission says it will answer within 30 working days, and at most 60. It may call a hearing if the PIO claims an exemption. It recommends you attend in person, which it says speeds up the case. Tell the Commission at once if the office sends the records.
The Commission may uphold the PIO, order the body to disclose the information, or impose a penalty or fine on officers who delay, wrongly deny or give wrong information. The pages we read do not give the fine amounts, so we do not state any.
Other routes while you wait
A records request is separate from a complaint about the police or about land. If your trouble is with a police station, use the 1787 IGP Complaint Centre. For the federal system, see how to appeal to the Pakistan Information Commission.
Common questions
Is there a fee to complain to the Punjab Information Commission?
No. The Commission's complaint page says the appeal is free of charge, with no fee for filing or processing.
Must I ask for an internal review first?
No. The Commission's page says you may skip the internal review and go straight to the Commission.
How long does the Commission take to decide?
The Commission lists 30 working days, and a maximum of 60 working days, from receipt of the complaint.
What is the deadline to complain?
The Commission's pages differ: one says 14 working days and another says no limit. File as early as you can.
Can I email the complaint?
Yes. The Commission lists hand delivery, post and email, with the address pic.info.pk@gmail.com.
Can the Commission punish an officer?
The Commission's page says it can impose a penalty or fine on officers who delay, wrongly deny or give misleading information. We did not find the amounts on that page.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked on 13 October 2026, Pakistan time. We read the Punjab Information Commission's pages on the complaint procedure, the complaint timeline and the contact details. The two pages disagree on the filing deadline, as stated above. We did not file a test complaint.
About the author
Tax, Bills and Technology Writer
Ali Akhtar is a young and curious voice here at Pakistan Era. He is currently pursuing his A-Levels and has a growing interest in Pakistan’s changing industrial landscape and educational trends. Ali likes to write in a way that helps him explain and explore the world around him. His writing reflects the perspective of the new generation navigating the evolving trends of Pakistan where technology, youth innovation, and shifting opportunities are reshaping the country’s future.
