Civil Society Called for co-operative relationships durable partnerships between Civil Society and Government

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.