International NGOs will require govt consent to gather funds, operate: Nisar

Interior minister unveils new policy on operation of international NGOs

Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar unveiled a new policy for international NGOs, wherein they will require the government’s consent to gather funds and operate.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad on Thursday, Nisar said that the policy – constituted within a time period of three months – is divided into three parts: terms of understanding, registration of an organisation and MoUs to be signed with the government, Express News reported.

“No organisation will be allowed to raise funds inside or outside the country or assist their local branches unless they have taken permission from the government," he said.

The MoU will be signed for a period of three months, which was earlier five months, followed by issuance of visas to the member of an NGO.

"The process will no more be manual but will completely online, which will help us monitor different organisations,” he said.

Read: Over 1,000 'hostile' spies visited Pakistan under INGO guise: Nisar

He said that after requesting for registration, international NGOs will have 60 days to operate until the government issues a final decision either allowing or suspending their work.

Nisar further said it would be the interior ministry's prerogative to register new NGOs, which will be assisted by the law ministry, while a committee of the interior will monitor the process.

"NGOs working against Pakistan’s strategic, security, economic or other interests will have their registration cancelled," he said, adding that any organisation restrained from working will have the right to appeal.

He further said several NGOs in the country had been restrained from working on the basis of intelligence information.

Read: NGOs to operate under interior ministry: Nisar

The interior minister noted that while other countries have formalised the process, these NGOs, even those operating in high security zones, were given a clean chit to operate owing to a complex security situation here.

Nisar said that the process of acquisition of visas and national identity cards is also being simplified and will be carried out online.

He assured that NGOs working under the ambit of law will be rewarded.

“Pakistan will have an open door policy regarding international organisations and propaganda against the policy is wrong," he concluded.