ISLAMABAD: Legislators in Upper House of Parliament on Monday expressed mixed reaction over registration of NGOs – both national and international. Some legislators appreciated their performance while other claimed that some of it were involved in illegal activities. Speaking on his motion, PPP Senator Farhatulalh Babar asked the government to come out clean on the proposed legislation about the NGOs and proposed setting up a committee comprising representatives of the Foreign Office, Economic Affairs Division, members of parliament and civil society organisations to thrash out the contours of the proposed law in a transparent manner instead of leaving the matter entirely to the police and Interior Ministry. He said that the registration of NGOs had recently been transferred from Economic Affairs Division to the Interior ministry. The Interior Minister has also stated that laws of registration of NGOs were vague and that a new single law was begin drawn up. In this regard, he asked to public Fatemi report. Baber said civil society actors could not merely disburse charity. They were also working for empowering youth, women and minorities. They are necessary for protecting people’s interest against state interference, he said, adding the matter should not be left at the mercy of police or the Interior Ministry alone. Responding to Babar motion, State Minister for Interior Balighur Rehman informed the Upper House the government had received 131 applications for registration of international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) till last year. 15 of them had been cleared while a high-level committee was reviewing the issue, he said, adding no INGO had been prevented from work. He said the government was cognizant of its responsibility and no country could allow any INGO to influence syllabus of schools. He said the NGOs were being registered and consultations with opposition would be made to make legislation in this regard. However, some opposition senators regretted that civil society organisations were stopped working only in Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA but allowed to work in other parts of the country. The Senate also passed a bill to protect and regulate the right of domestic workers – the Domestic Workers (Employment Rights) Bill 2015 –moved by PPP’s Senator Usman Saifullah Khan. He said protection of rights of domestic workers was the prime responsibility of the government and the parliament. The bill was framed after a long and hectic struggle and hoped the National Assembly would also pass the bill smoothly to protect the rights of domestic workers. The Upper House also adopted a resolution recommending the government to increase the profit rates of national saving schemes, particularly on those relating to pensioners and senior citizens. The resolution was moved by Salahuddin Tirmizi and Muhammad Javed Abbasi. PPP Senator Farhatullah Babar withdrew his private members bill seeking amendment to the National Command Authority (NCA) Act, saying that ever since he submitted the bill, a number of stakeholders had expressed serious reservations and concerns about some aspects of the bill due to which he wished to withdraw the bill for broader consultation and discussion. Another Bill moved by Senator Farhatullah Babar seeking to amend the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) Act 2103 was also admitted by the Senate and referred to the committee. The House passed another resolution recommending that a Day Care Centre for the children of female employees should be established in every federal government institution. Through another resolution, the House recommended that Indus Waters Treaty be revisited in order to make new provisions in the treaty so that Pakistan may get more water for its rivers.