ISLAMABAD: Lawmakers on Monday said that the policy regarding regularisation of international non-governmental organisations (INGOs) should be amended and approved from federal cabinet so that any dubious INGO could be informed prior to closing its operations. The recommendations were made at a meeting of Senate’s Functional Committee of Human Rights under the chairmanship of Senator Mustafa Nawaz Khokar. During the meeting, lawmakers expressed concerns over the legal status of the new law formulated by Ministry of Interior in 2015 regarding registration and regularisation of INGOs working in different parts of the country. While briefing the committee, an official from the Interior Ministry said that around 27 INGOs were asked to re-apply under a memorandum of understanding drafted in 2015 for their registration. He clarified that they (INGOs) were not asked for stop their functioning but to re-register themselves under the new law. He further claimed that the policy bound the INGOs for keeping themselves limited to socio-economic business instead of intervening in “sensitive issues”. However, the official could not justify the query repeatedly asked by different lawmakers as to why the ministry could not satisfy INGOs about reasons behind suspension of their activities. “There were some security reasons behind this move,” the official said. The senators said that the functioning of INGOs should not be stopped as they have very significant role in the development of the country. They added that the suspension of INGOs operation in backward areas would increase deprivations of the people there. Senator Khokar said that INGOs had spent nearly $483 million in Pakistan in different development projects. Human Rights Minister Dr Sheerin Mazari lauded the work of INGOs. However, she supported the decision of the government regarding their regularisation. She said that there were regulatory bodies all over the world for NGOs. The interior ministry official said that some INGOs had approached the Supreme Court regarding the new law. After hearing stance of the Interior Ministry and some aggrieved representatives of the INGOs, the committee said that a meeting would be held over the issue wherein all stakeholders, including the Law Ministry, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Human Rights, Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Economic Affairs and Ministry of Finance would be taken on board to include their input. While discussing on another agenda item regarding enforced disappearances in the country, senators said that a comprehensive law should be formulated and implemented. Published in Daily Times, November 6th 2018.