27 NGOs given 90 days to shut shop

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has ordered 27 international aid groups to shut down for working in unauthorised areas, spurring human rights campaigners to denounce swelling constraints on free speech and humanitarian work.

The Ministry of Interior gave the 27 NGOs 90 days to conclude operations, according to a list seen by Reuters. Among those being expelled are Action Aid, World Vision, Plan International, Trocaire, Pathfinder International, Danish Refugee Council, George Soros´ Open Society Foundations, Oxfam Novib, and Marie Stopes.

Talal Chaudhry, Minister of State for Interior Affairs, told Reuters the reason for shutting down the NGOs was because they were doing work in Pakistan "which is beyond their mandate and for which they have no legal justification". He declined to give specific examples but said the targeted NGOs spend "all their money" on administration, are not doing the work they said they were doing, and are working in areas where they were not authorised. The Pakistan Humanitarian Forum (PHF), which represents 63 international aid groups, said the ministry had issued 11 of its members “letters of rejection”. All of them said they would appeal. No reason for the rejections had been provided, the forum said.