NGOs told to start philanthropic activity

LAHORE: The social welfare department in District Rajanpur has directed all local and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs and INGOs) to start philanthropic activity in a situation arising out of lockdown due to coronavirus pandemic, it is learnt.

The organisations have been warned of legal action if they fail to comply with the directive.

According to a letter available with The News, District's Deputy Director (DD) Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Maal Tahmeena Dilshad told the organisations' heads: “As per source report your performance is not up to the mark for which the undersigned has taken serious cognizance on this laxity and no-cooperative attitude liable for action as per constitution”.

Referring to the lockdown, the DD told the organisations' heads: "You were repeatedly sensitized to undertake philanthropic activity for the deserving people to provide food items etc but no response from all of you got by Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Maal”.

The DD directed the organisations' heads submit to the department their plans of philanthropic activity, failing which legal action would be taken against them.

A social activist Adnan Rahmat dismissed the DD's directive as illegal, saying no NGO could be forced to start philanthropic work.

According to him, INGOs had been de-registered, and were asked to have registration with the Economic Affairs Division (EAD). Now the government is pressurizing INGOs and NGOs to work in calamity hit areas, he lamented, adding that forced work amid lockdown is negation of government's own policy. He said the government is confused as international funding is banned until INGOs get registered with the EAD. Adnan said the government has made registration process very difficult.

The correspondent repeatedly tried to contact DD Tahmeena Dilshad, and sent her questions via whatsapp, but she didn't respond.

When contacted, Punjab Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Maal Director General Muhammad Shahid Niaz said he had joined the office recently and was not aware of any development. He said but could respond after two to three days. In case any illegality is found in the matter, action would be taken under the law, the DG added.

Farah Saleem, Deputy Director NGOs, Directorate of Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Maal Lahore, said the Divisional Director Dera Ghazi Khan would act against her.

Provincial Minister for Law, Parliamentary Affairs & Social Welfare Raja Basharat commented that provincial government had not issued any policy to pressurize the INGOs and NGOs to start distributing ration or food items among the poor. The DD might have done it at local level, the minister added.

Requesting anonymity, sources in the Social Welfare department informed The News the DD wrote the letter to as the Rajanpur deputy commissioner had directed the social welfare department in a meeting to ask NGOs to start philanthropic activity as the government alone could not provide food to the poor in the whole district.

When contacted, DC Zulfiqar Ali Rajan said the government always "bails out" functional NGOs in the country, and there was nothing unfair if the government was putting some pressure on them to assist it under the prevailing unusual circumstances.