How to File a Right to Information Request in Balochistan

Short answer: Write to the public information officer of the Balochistan office that holds the record, attach a copy of your CNIC, say what you want and why, and keep the receipt. The office has 15 working days to reply, and up to 15 more for a large search. Filing is free, and a complaint to the Information Commission is free.

A farmer in Pishin wants the list of people who received a seed subsidy. A graduate in Turbat wants the merit list for a post she applied for. In Balochistan, both can ask in writing under a 2021 law that has some rules of its own.

We read the Balochistan Right to Information Act, 2021 (Act No. II of 2021) on 13 October 2026 and compared it with the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh laws. Several rules here differ, especially the need for a CNIC copy and for a reason. We did not file a request ourselves.

A written request with a CNIC copy and a reason

Lodge the request in writing with the public information officer. Attach a copy of your CNIC, and give appropriate reasons, as the Act requires. The information should be of public interest or of interest to you.

This is stricter than the neighbouring provinces, where no reason is needed. Write one plain sentence, such as "I am a beneficiary and want to check the list". Describe the record well enough for staff to find it, and give an address for delivery.

1. Find the office that holds the record and its public information officer.
2. Write the request, state your reason and name the record.
3. Attach a copy of your CNIC and your delivery address.
4. Submit it in person, by post, fax or email.
5. Get a receipt with the date and the name of the official handling it.

If you cannot write, the officer must help you put the request in writing. A body that does not hold the record must send your request to the one that does, or return it with an explanation.

The office has 15 working days and can take 15 more

A public body must respond within 15 working days. It may take at most 15 more working days where many records or several offices are involved. Information needed to protect life or liberty must be provided within two working days.

The written notice may accept the request, reject it for breaking the rules, point you to where it is published, reject it as vexatious, or reject it as exempt. If accepted, release depends on the approval of the Secretary of the department or head of the body, and on payment of any fee. A rejection must tell you your right to internal review or complaint.

Lodging is free and the first 10 pages cost nothing

It is free to lodge a request. The body may charge the actual cost of copying and posting under a schedule adopted by the Information Commission. No fee is charged for the first ten pages, or if the requester is below the poverty line.

That is ten pages here, against twenty in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. We could not find the Commission's schedule on an official page, so ask the office to state the fee and the rule behind it in writing.

Internal review or a free complaint are both open

You may ask the head of the public body for an internal review within 60 days of the decision or silence, and the reviewing officer must decide within 14 days. You can also complain to the Commission, free of charge.

The Commission must decide a complaint within 60 days, and the public body carries the burden of showing that it acted in line with the Act. It can fine an information officer who refused without cause, up to two days' salary for each day of delay or Rs 20,000. Destroying a record under request, or obstructing access, is an offence with up to two years in prison or a fine of at least Rs 10,000.

One caution applies. The Act required the Commission to be set up within 120 days of its start in 2021. An independent assessment published in June 2026 reports that it was set up years late and remained structurally incomplete, with the Chief Information Commissioner post vacant. We could not confirm the current position from an official page. Send your complaint with a copy of your receipt, and ask for a diary number in return.

Exemptions cover defence, privacy and file notings

A public information officer may refuse requests that would harm national security, public order, privacy, commercial interests, safety, or the security of property. The list also includes summaries and noting on files, which is a wider shield than in the other provinces.

If only part of a document is exempt, the rest must be given. Information in the exempt classes may be released once it is more than fifty years old, and the Commission can extend that by twenty years. A refusal must name the reason, the section and the person who can give limited access.

The right to information suits records like a scheme list, a tender result or a sanction order. If your problem is a service failure, the route in the Balochistan CM complaint portal guide may be quicker. For land entries, see how to check land records in Balochistan, and for a licence dispute, the steps in filing a consumer court complaint in Balochistan.

Common questions

Do I need to give a reason in Balochistan?

Yes. The Act says the applicant must give appropriate reasons and attach a copy of the CNIC. Keep the reason short and honest.

How long does a Balochistan office have to reply?

It has 15 working days, and up to 15 more for a large search. A life or liberty case needs an answer in two working days.

Is there a fee?

Lodging is free. Copying and posting costs can be charged, but not for the first ten pages or if you are below the poverty line.

Where do I complain if I am refused?

You can ask the head of the body for an internal review within 60 days, or complain to the Balochistan Information Commission. The complaint is free.

Can a company or an NGO use the Act?

The Act defines an applicant as a citizen of Pakistan. An organisation should apply through a named citizen with a CNIC copy.

Can I see notings on a file?

The Act lets an officer refuse summaries and noting on files. You can still ask for the decision, the order and the final record.

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 text of the Balochistan Right to Information Act, 2021 as published in its Gazette notification. The scan has some unclear characters, so confirm figures on the office copy. We could not confirm the Commission's current membership, address, helpline or fee schedule from an official page.