[ From: The Nation, 18 May 1999 ]
Punjab govt prepares law to regulate NGOsBy Tariq Butt
ISLAMABAD - A law to regulate Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) is ready to be introduced in Punjab any time, which will serve as a model for other provinces to follow.The umbrella law is part of a concerted campaign launched by the Punjab government against fake and fraudulent NGOs, which are in abundance not only in the majority province but also in Sindh and other parts of the country.
In a major move, the Punjab government rescinded registration of nearly 4000 NGOs a few week back after thorough scrutiny spanning several months.
An official told The Nation that after this action, the Sindh government revoked registration of as many as 371 NGOs and is engaged in scrutinising the affairs of 6000 similar bodies.
"Hardly half a dozen of all these NGOs are genuine and doing a fine job while the remaining are either non-functional or fraudulent."
Thousands of NGOs (45000 only in Punjab) have got themselves registered under the Societies Act., while a comparatively lesser number has been registered under the Social Welfare Act.
The official said that provincial social welfare departments, which monitor the working and functioning of the NGOs, is incapacitated to do this job in the case of those registered under the Societies Act.
He said that the government has involved its different agencies to look into the affairs of a large number of NGOs. He said that as reports are received from them, legal action is taken against these organisations.
It has been decided that no NGO would be registered in future under the Societies Act and those seeking registration would be dealt with under the Social Welfare Act only so that proper monitoring of their functioning could be done.
The government is extremely worried over the activities of several NGOs which, it says, are indulging in activities, damaging country, at the call of their foreign financiers. It wants to hurriedly proceed against them and is searching for proof before taking action against them.
At the same time, powerful NGOs are covering their flanks to counter the government action, and according to one report they are preparing to challenge it in a superior court.
The dubious activities of a large number of NGOs, which serve as money-minting machines in several cases, are no secret. Foreign financiers successfully air and project their views and stands on different issues through these bodies.
However, there are organisations which are actually doing welfare work in different areas.
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