Pakistan asks 27 international NGOs to leave the country
Minister Talal Chaudhry claimed the organisations were doing work that is ‘beyond their mandate and for which they have no legal justification’.
Pakistan has asked 27 international NGOs to shut down their operations within 90 days and leave the country, Reuters reported on Friday.
Minister of State for Interior Affairs Talal Chaudhry told the agency that the organisations were asked to leave Pakistan because they were doing work that is “beyond their mandate and for which they have no legal justification”. Without giving examples, he said the NGOs “spend all their money on administration”, do not perform the work they say they do and work in unauthorised areas.
Among the international aid groups being expelled from Pakistan are ActionAid, World Vision, Plan International, Trocaire, Pathfinder International, Danish Refugee Council, George Soros’ Open Society Foundations, Oxfam Novib, and Marie Stopes, according to the Reuters report.
The Pakistan Humanitarian Forum, which represents 63 international NGOs, said the Interior Affairs Ministry had issued rejection letters to 11 of its members without providing any reason for its decision.
“The organisation is hopeful that the appeals process will make it possible for its work with vulnerable and marginalised children, especially girls, to continue in Pakistan,” NGO Plan International said.