SC seeks details about NGOs source of funding

22 Jul, 2015

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the federal and provincial governments to furnish complete details about the source of funding of Non Governmental Organizations (NGOs), mechanism to monitor their activities and process of registration.

The three-member bench headed by Justice Jawwad S. Khawaja resumed hearing of the case regarding working and foreign funding of NGOs in Pakistan.

The matter relating to NGOs activities had cropped up during a hearing of a case of bail application on June 23. The application was moved by Haroonur Rashid, who was booked for alleged fraud in a business transaction. During the case, it had emerged that the parties involved had invested in a Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)-based NGO 'Baraan', which was registered in Peshawar but had spreaded its activities to various areas of the province including Tank, Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan.

During the course of proceedings, the court expressed reservations over the report submitted by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA). Justice Jawwad questioned that why Joint Intelligence Directorate was not established.

The representatives of Sind, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa and Balochistan governments apprised the court that provincial governments earlier did not register NGOs.

National Coordinator NACTA informed the court that lack of funding and human resources interrupts the performance of authority.

Justice Dost Muhammad remarked that the war on terrorism cannot be won without stoppage of funding.

The court directed the federation and all four provincial governments to furnish details about NGOs source of funding and adjourned hearing till July 28.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2015

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