Press Release
In the context of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa NGOs are working to
enhance our national development assets as they mobilize financial, material
and human resources at local and external levels in support of social and
economic development that adequately includes the needs of grass root communities -urban and rural.
A Consultation session was jointly organized by Pakhtunkhwa
Civil Society Network, Tribal NGOs Consortium, EVAW/G KP and FATA and MEN UNiTE
Allaince in Nowshera Press Club on Legal
and regulatory framework affecting NGOs in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to discuss the
Fears, Expectation and Way Forward). The consultation aimed at looking into
possibility to improve coordination among NGOs and registration authorities and
asked the Social Welfare Department to promote “durable partnerships” with
civil society organizations so that their enormous potential as agents of
social change and development will be fully realized. The participants of the
consultation said that less efforts have been seen so far from the Govt side to formulate
Strategic Partnerships with NGOs and both side must start communication and
collaboration to create an enabling environment for building “co-operative
relationships” and, possibly, “durable partnerships” between NGOs and the
Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The participants of the consultation expressed their serious
concern on the increasing criminalization of dissent and the strict and hostile
legal and social environment for the civil society. The Civil Society Alliances
Jointly rejected the statement of Meher Taj Roghani advisor to the Chief Minister
which she made on 5 December 2014 and made a stamen to cancel the registration
of 3,000 non-governmental organizations (NGO) because according to the Govt
they are not functional, most of these organizations are small community based
organization or small size NGOs.
The Civil Society alliances demanded the social welfare
department to hold and withdraw the notification of deregistering 3000
community based NGOs as this action is unlawful and unconstitutional and if the
notification is not stopped, the civil society alliances will jointly consult
High court through a writ petition against this unconstitutional action. The
representative of alliances mentioned that the Constitution of Pakistan gives
the right to everyone to form an association or union. According to Article 17
“every citizen shall have the right to form associations or unions, subject to
any reasonable restrictions imposed by the law in the interest or integrity of
Pakistan, public order or morality. It is illegal for the KP Govt to issue a
general order to deregister 3000 NGOs with a notification only.
The consultation concluded that more close coordination is required
between Govt and Civil Society to reduce gaps, voice concerns and come up with
recommendations which can contribute in the coherent policy framework at the
same there should be coordinated efforts by both Govt and Civil Society and
build the capacity of small NGOs so that they can show compliance with registration
requirement which is equally beneficial for Govt and the development sector.
