Shut operations and leave within 60 days: Pakistan to 18 global NGOs

Pakistan has ordered as many as 18 international non-governmental organisations to cease their operations and leave the country within two months, a media report said Sunday.

The Express News TV reported that the interior ministry has given 60 days to those International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGO)s for closing down their operations.

Among the 18 INGOs, nine have association with the US, three with the UK and two with the Netherlands. Others have connections with Italy, Switzerland, Denmark and Ireland.

ActionAid and Plan International are among the charities asked to shut down.

In addition, the ministry also imposed restrictions on 72 NGOs for inadequate documentation.

The government has allowed 141 NGOs to continue their functions, including 66 foreign entities, sources said.

The scrutiny of INGOs and NGOs started during the tenure of the previous government when authorities devised a new system and asked all of them to register under it.

The role of foreign donors and their partners in Pakistan came under scanner after fake vaccination camp was launched by a doctor to help the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) trace former al-Qaeda chief Osama bin-Laden. He was killed in a US operation in 2011.