Monitoring NGOs: K-P likely to give active aid organisations until August for MoU renewal

A meeting has been called at the home department today to discuss future strategy.

PESHAWAR: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government is likely to extend the no-objection certificates of foreign funded organisations for a short period until they renew their memorandums of understanding (MoU) which were recently suspended by the federal government.

According to a government official who requested anonymity, a meeting has been called today (Tuesday) at the K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department where a future strategy will be devised on the issue.  “The government is likely to extend agreements for those organisations with active projects but only on the condition that they will renew their MoUs within four months,” the official said, adding once the extended time period ends, the agreement will be cancelled until the MoU is renewed.

Special Secretary Home Syed Alamgir Shah will chair the meeting while officials of the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), Ministry of Interior, armed forces, police special branch, FATA Secretariat, provincial and Fata disaster management authorities along with planning and development department will be in attendance.

On April 13, the federal government suspended MoUs signed with foreign-funded aid organisations, except for those affiliated with the United Nations, in order to scrutinise their activities.

EAD has devised a new policy to monitor the nature and area of work of international and local NGOs receiving foreign funds.

The organisations, according to the policy, will have to provide an annual report of their activities, bank accounts and all foreign contributions, including other necessary information, to the authorities. The policy, however, states that in case of any disaster or emergency, the aid organisations may be exempt from all or any of the provisions for a maximum period of six months in public interest.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 15^th, 2014.