Welfare cut: K-P govt keen on dissolving dysfunctional NGOs

Committees formed to verify each organisation, scrutinise projects.

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government wants to dissolve all dysfunctional welfare organisations in the province, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Social Welfare Mehar Taj Roghani told The Express Tribune.

Roghani said they will abolish all non-governmental organisations (NGO) that exist only on paper and have been inactive since a long time. She claimed there are about 4,000 welfare and NGOs working at district level, adding committees have been formed to verify all of them.

District commissioners, district development advisory committees and senior officials of allied institutions along with district social welfare officers have been tasked with apprising the social welfare directorate about dysfunctional organisations. “We intend to provide funds to NGOs and welfare trusts after these organisations report to their respective commissioners and inform them about their projects,” shared Roghani.

After receiving the details of these companies, the social welfare directorate will scrutinise and verify the organisations before releasing funds. “We will prefer those working on multiple projects including skill development.”

Roghani informed according to the directorate’s data, at least 1,500 out of the 4,000 NGOs are operating only on paper. “The government will take them to task,” she reiterated.

Out of bounds?

NGO Forum Pakistan General Secretary Professor Ismail, however, said only the social welfare department’s board of directors has the power to take the steps the provincial government is planning to.

“Welfare trusts and NGOs cannot be completely dissolved,” Ismail said, adding only the assets and liabilities of an organisation can be transferred to another company – that too if it is working on the same projects and goals.



“The Constitution of Pakistan gives the right to everyone to form an association or union,” said Ismail, referring to Article 17 which states “every citizen shall have the right to form associations or unions, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by the law in the interest or integrity of Pakistan, public order or morality.”

“The K-P government has no right to stop welfare trusts and non-profit organisations,” said Sitara Ayaz, the former provincial minster for social welfare.

Ayaz said hundreds of trusts and NGOs submitted their applications for registration in their tenure. “The government has no justification to dissolve registered organisations if they have all the documents. They will face immense criticism and pressure if they take action against NGOs.”

She added NGOs are independent organisations that are not answerable to any political party.

Registration and Control Ordinance

According to the Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies Registration and Control Ordinance 1961, an agency can be dissolved if:

(1) At any time the Registration Authority has reason to believe that a registered agency is acting in contravention of its constitution, or contrary to any of the provisions of this ordinance, or the rules made there under, or in a manner prejudicial to the interests of the public, it may, after giving such opportunity to the agency of being heard as it thinks fit, make a report thereon to the provincial government.

(2) The provincial government, if satisfied after considering the report that it is necessary or proper to do so, may order that the agency shall stand dissolved on and from such date as may be specified in the order.

If, however, the registration authority rejects an application for registration, the applicant can, within 30 days from the date of the order, file an appeal to the provincial government. The order then passed by the government will be final.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th,2013.