Daily Times

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly standing committee on human rights criticised Justice Rtd Ali Nawaz Chohan for ignoring the committee and recommended a ban on his foreign tours while the committee took serious notice of NGOs working for poverty reduction even as the level of poverty in the country increased.

Human rights committee of the NA met in the chair of Babar Nawaz Khan here at Parliament House on Monday and discussed the anti harassment bills. A subcommittee has been formed under the Chair of Muniza Hassan to consider three bills of the same nature.

Committee members criticised the role of NGO’s working in Pakistan for reduction of poverty and protection of human rights and said that activities of these NGO’s should be monitored strictly. They have offices in every street capital, spend 80 percent of their funds on administrative affairs and the remaining 20 percent spend on the real task they have been given, members said.

They likened these NGO’s, somewhat bizarrely, to horses out of control. Apparently without recognising the irony, these elected politicians said these NGOs aimed at reducing poverty, while poverty in Pakistan was actually increasing.

Economic affairs officials said that 30 local NGOs have submitted applications for foreign funding since 2015 while the registration of international NGOs was now the prime responsibility of ministry of interior.

It was disclosed in the meeting that some blacklisted NGOs were still working in Pakistan. The Human Rights committee was not happy with the performance of national commission for human rights, especially its Chairman Justice Rtd Ali Nawaz Chohan.

The committee members decided to present privilege motion against chairman NCHR and seek details of his foreign visits and travel and daily allowance that he received from the National Exchequer.