Senator Dar said Pakistan must regulate all foreign aid to safeguard its national security. ILLUSTRATION: JAMAL KHURSHID
Amidst fears that unmonitored foreign aid to nongovernmental organisations is a potential threat to national security, a bipartisan bill has been drafted to regulate these NGOs and restrict the increasing influence of international agencies in the country’s affairs.
The Senate Standing Committee on Finance and Economic Affairs on Monday fine-tuned the proposed law and sought some clarifications from government agencies before clearing it.
The opposition leader in Senate, Senator Ishaq Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), had introduced the bill in the upper house of Parliament last week.
On Monday, Senator Dar partly blamed international and local NGOs for instability in the country. He presided over panel meeting in the absence of Senator Nasreen Jalil of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM).
Senator Dar said India had already enacted a similar law in 2011 and Pakistan must also regulate all foreign aid to safeguard its national security.
Over the last couple of years, particularly after the 9/11 attacks, there has been a mushroom growth of NGOs and most of them are getting funds from foreign agencies. According to the interior ministry reports, some organisations have been working against national interests.
Under the newly-proposed law, any NGO that wants to conduct philanthropist work in the country by receiving foreign aid has to now be registered with the federal government.
At present, the US is disbursing majority of its financial assistance through USAID. In many cases, the USAID directly disburses money to the NGOs without providing much detail to the federal government, according to an official of the Economic Affairs Division.
The assistance provided by foreign governments, international financial institutions or any entity will have to be brought to the notice of the federal government after the enactment of this law.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2013.
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About time and any media group who takes money should also be declaring it.
It is about time this is done. Pakistani child adoption and trafficking by foreigners should be put end to as well.