ISLAMABAD (Staff Report) – Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Thursday announced a new policy for the registration and functioning of Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) inside Pakistan, saying the foreign NGOs were found involved in suspicious activities.
Addressing a press conference in Islamabad the minister told reporters that new policy for NGOs comprises of three sections and have been designed in the light of guidelines laid down by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
All of the international NGOs have been advised to apply for online registration within next 60 days and no organisation will be allowed to function otherwise. Every application will be processed in sixty working days.
He said the NGOs will be submitting an online application to federal interior ministry for earn a registration, which will be followed by a security clearance from leading law enforcement agencies of the country. Moreover the organisations will also have to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the ministry which will be truly implemented.
The process of registration will be completely transparent and accessible by the general public, he said.
Nisar went on to say that during the process of registration of foreign NGOs the applicants will also have to apply for a specific Visa category which would be amended afterwards.
He announced that all of the NGOs would be thoroughly monitored by security agencies whether they were following the signed MoUs or not. Any organisation found violating the agreement will be immediately sealed and registration certificate will be withdrawn.
He declared that none of the foreign NGOs will be allowed to financially support the local welfare organisations without permission of federal interior ministry. NGOs will also have to get prior permission to collect funds from Pakistan, he said.
Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan also said that federal government is also planning to introduce a new Visa policy to establish a more transparent and easily accessible system.
