ISLAMABAD: The federal government has moved against two international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) for alleged illegal activities, ARY News reported on Friday.
The Ministry of Interior has directed “Vital Strategies” and the US-based “Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids” to cease operations.
A letter has been sent to the governments of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and all provinces, ordering the closure of these NGOs. The State Bank of Pakistan has also been instructed to freeze their accounts.
The Ministry further requested the shutdown of the NGOs’ offices, citing their operations in Pakistan without government approval. Despite this, both organizations had been collaborating with the Ministry of Health for years.
Additionally, the NGOs are not registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) or the Economic Affairs Division. This crackdown is part of a broader effort to address non-compliant NGOs.
In a related development, the Sindh government decided to hand over 100 schools to NGOs to improve educational standards.
Sources from the Sindh education ministry revealed that 60 schools in Karachi and 40 in other parts of the province, currently in poor condition, will be managed by leading NGOs under the caretaker minister’s directive.
The decision aims to enhance the quality and management of these schools.
