More than two years now, the re-registration policy framework for many of the International Non-governmental Organisations (INGOs) has finally culminated to a chaotic situation. The confusion has gone intense after the local media carried a story released by an international news agency two weeks back. The story claimed that as many as 21 major INGOs have been declined re-registration under the very strict criteria of scrutiny approved by the Pakistan’s Ministry of Interior in its policy framework issued in the first week of October 2015. Nevertheless, the story pleaded the case of only two INGOs — the US-based Open Society Foundation and the Action Aid, originated from South Africa, which the story says the government official has confirmed that they were refused of the registration under the new policy framework. These two INGOs have confirmed of receiving the letters from the Ministry of Interior. The Open Society Foundation is founded and funded by George Soros who launched his philanthropic work in South Africa in 1979. Since then he has given over $32 billion to fund the Open Society Foundations, which work in over 100 countries around the world including Pakistan. The Open Society Foundations work to build vibrant and tolerant democracies whose governments are accountable to their citizens. The Action Aid is termed to be a strong voice for women empowerment and farmers’ rights to ensuring the food security for the marginalised communities. The news story states, “The international non-governmental organisations (INGO) have been given two months to close their offices and vacate the country. The government has been scrutinising the documents of another 19 foreign-aid groups to determine whether they should be allowed to work in the country or not. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to brief reporters.” In many cases, it has been true that INGOs with the collaboration of local partners were engaged in strategic interventions, and not just social development, at the grassroots level. Their presence had become more political in nature than humanitarian. It was essential to act against those involved in such activities to stop external political influence, and penetration of chaotic ideas The preamble of the new policy framework states the objective of its launching as to regulate, in future, the registration, working, funding, monitoring and other related aspects pertaining to all types of International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) functioning in Pakistan. In the policy document, the government acknowledges the diverse contribution of INGOs in the socio-economic development of Pakistan by awareness-raising, social-mobilisation, infrastructure-development, service delivery, training, research and advocacy. Though the policy recognises and affirms the need for collaboration with the INGOs, it stresses on the accountability and transparency in the functioning of INGOs. As many as 63 INGOs have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Ministry of Interior out of 66 approved registrations of INGOs so far. A total of 139 INGOs applied online for the registration while the cases of 72 INGOs are still under the process of scrutiny. The analysis of data proves that only one INGO has been refused of registration, and it could be only the Open Society Foundation that has already asked the Interior Ministry for clarification on the process of appeal against the decision that is clearly defined anywhere in the new policy framework for the INGOs or on the web pages. It is the obligatory mandate of the government to regulate the affairs and activities of the INGOs and any donor funded projects, and also to examine the personnel engaged in the INGOs working in Pakistan. The pouring in of the unchecked funding and its unmonitored use, the very high salary packages of the top ranks in the INGOs and misuse of powers in recruitment of staff particularly the young women, lack of transparency in dishing out funds, malpractices in governance, and exceeding the scope of defined working limits, were a few common observations by every vigilant person in the government or in the public. In many cases it is true that the INGOs with the collaboration of local partners were engaged in the strategic interventions more than the social development at the grassroots level. Their presence had become more political in nature than humanitarian. It was essential to root them out of the society to stop external political influence, penetration of chaotic ideas, and infiltration anti-state practices. It was indeed necessary to monitor the flow of money and its actual utilisation on the ground. The approval of 66 registrations of the INGOs and having signed 63 MOUs, the government has wiped off all the suspicions and doubts that they are reluctant to give working space to the INGOs. The approved list of INGOs includes the organisations of repute from different Europeans countries, USA and others. It shows that now only those organisations would stay in Pakistan, which have more professional and transparent practices. It is indeed essential to curb and curtail the engagement of INGOs and their partners in the interventions such as a ‘polio vaccination campaign in Abbottabad’ in 2011 that, as stated by the government, was supported by the American CIA in search of Usama Bin Laden. The government shall expedite the pending cases of 72 INGOs, and the organisations shall also expeditiously provide the necessary documents requited to fill in the formalities of the new registration process. The government shall also take into consideration that faith-based organisations may not necessarily be converting the marginalised communities to their religion or promoting their religious practices. The INGOs promoting democracy or the women empowerment do not necessarily instigating public sentiments against the establishment and the government. For the intellectual, social and societal growth we need to empower destitute and marginalised communities and segments of society. Only vibrantly thinking people would form a democratic society that would gear up sustainable economic growth. Thousands have gone jobless and millions of dollars were excluded of the social development and humanitarian assistance for the last over two years of disrupted functions of the INGOs. It means huge losses to mainstream economy of the country just based on the suspicions, doubts and fears on the INGOs for spying on the country that could be done through the extremely sophisticated satellites quite easily. The process of scrutiny shall go on. But it should not be stretched that long to hamper the society, disrupt the social growth and development, and stop the humanitarian assistance. The messy situation has created doubts on the government intentions as it does not aspire to allow the non-governmental sector to work freely, rather the government on the aspiration of establishment desired to control the wide spreading non-governmental sector. The writer is an Islamabad-based policy advocacy, strategic communication and outreach expert. He can be reached at devcom.pakistan@gmail.com. He tweets @EmmayeSyed Published in Daily Times, January 2nd 2018.