Foreign funding: Three Islamabad-based NGOs stopped from working

Interior minister issued restraining orders following raids on their offices

ISLAMABAD: On the direction of Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar, the capital administration restrained three Islamabad-based Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) from working following allegations of obtaining foreign funding, it emerged on Wednesday.

The NGOs, Rozan, Sahil and Tameer-e-Millat Foundation were stopped from working by the capital administration on charges of not maintaining mandatory documents and acquiring foreign funding.



Tameer-e-Millat Foundation works for promotion of education, Sahil, for child rights and Rozan is working for the protection of the rights of women and children.

A senior official in the capital administration told The Express Tribune that restraining orders were issued after a special team headed by Additional Deputy Commissioner (East) Islamabad Abdus Sattar Essani, conducted a raid at the offices of the said NGOs.

During the raids it was found that Tameer-e-Millat Foundation purchased surgical instruments without paying the import duty which is illegal, explained the official. Similarly, the NGOs failed to maintain mandatory record of documents which raised questions over their legality. “The administration is likely to conduct more raids in the future,” he added.



The official explained that foreign organisations were not allowed to fund local NGOs nor collect funds in the country without official permission.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 10^th, 2016.