Registration process: Interior ministry allows 73 INGOs to operate

23 entities are refused permission for a variety of reasons

ISLAMABAD: The interior ministry has granted permission to 73 international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) to operate and undertake socio-economic projects in the country during the current registration drive.

This was decided during a meeting chaired by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan here on Thursday.

As many as 23 INGOs were refused permission because of their past performances or for carrying out activities beyond their stated scopes.

Cases of 20 INGOs were deferred and would be decided later.

The meeting, convened especially to finalise the INGOs’ registration process, was attended by the Secretary Interior, Advocate-General, Chairman of NADRA, acting DG FIA and other senior officials.

Chaudhry Nisar appreciated the efforts of the ministry’s INGO Committee and NADRA officials for their tireless efforts in this regard.

The registration process had been initiated for the first time in the country’s history, said the minister.



Chaudhry Nisar said that the registration of INGOs was critical for national security. He said that framing rules for INGOs and registering them for the first time is a significant achievement which would strengthen partnership between the government and non-government sector.

The minister also appreciated the role of INGOs towards the success of the registration process.

INGOs, which could not secure approval during the registration process, should be given right to file appeals, the minister told officials concerned.

Details of approved and non-approved INGOs along with their past projects would be placed on the ministry’s website.

In another significant development, the meeting was informed that FIA had developed, with NADRA’s help, a system for processing information on Most Wanted Human Traffickers, besides setting up a mechanism for real-time information sharing with the relevant stakeholders and its field units.



In an unprecedented move, FIA formulated comprehensive SOPs with technological support provided by NADRA for streamlining and regulating efforts against the most wanted traffickers.

FIA, the meeting was informed, was also preparing a database with full details of all such traffickers, enabling the agency to take solid steps for their arrests.

A dedicated Human Trafficker cell was also set up by FIA at its headquarters, which has been mandated to maintain and update database and coordinate with all relevant agencies, including NADRA, IMPASS, FBR, PTA and State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).

The federal agency also appointed focal persons in all provinces for dealing with cases of most wanted traffickers.

The meeting was informed that FIA had formed an Inter-Agency Team for holding regular bimonthly meetings.

The minister said that after completing the process of collecting information about traffickers, efforts should be made to apprehend all such criminals.

Assistance, the minister said, should be sought from provincial governments, civilian armed forces and other law enforcement agencies.

The Minister said that ‘Red Warrants’ should be issued against all most wanted traffickers who were abroad.