‘Uncharitable’ affairs: Save the Children office sealed in Islamabad

International NGO accused of involvement in anti-state activities

ISLAMABAD: Authorities in the federal capital sealed the offices of international non-governmental organisation Save the Children on Thursday, said an official.

Save the Children has previously accused of involvement with the Central Intelligence Agency and Dr Shakeel Afridi in tracking down the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad.

The decision was taken on the directive of the interior ministry for its alleged involvement in some anti-state activities, said the official of the administration. The notification was issued by the Economic Affairs Division (EAD).

The notification reads: “The competent authority has been pleased to decide that M/s Save the Children international be asked to wind up its offices/operations in Pakistan forthwith and also issue direction to its expatriates to leave Pakistan within 15 days.”

The official said soon after the notification, the Islamabad administration sealed the office, which is situated in  F-6/2 on Margalla Road.

A senior official of the administration said a high-powered committee had decided last week to shut the INGO for its allegedly involvement in some anti-state activities.

The government had already decided the scrutiny of all the INGOs currently operating in the country.

In this regard a committee was formed, headed by PM’s Special Assistant on Foreign Affairs Tariq Fatemi, comprising representatives of the Intelligence Bureau, ISI, interior ministry,

EAD and the Foreign Office to evaluate security agencies’ reports on the credibility and activities of the NGOs in question.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 12^th, 2015.