Order to Ban Save the children Suspended in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry suspended its orders of closing International Non-governmental organization, Save the Children, in Pakistan.
A memo from the Ministry of Interior, dated 12th June 2015, stated that the prior notice for the organization to halt its practices in Pakistan has been suspended and that now it is allowed to proceed with them till further orders.
The action has been taken days after authorities ordered a termination of the international aid organization, Save the Children `s operations in the state capital, Islamabad. The Interior Ministry has also asked its foreign staff to immediately leave the country.
The revoke of the previous order from the Pakistani government is welcomed by the NGO workers, nevertheless, its employees revealed that they had not received any official notice till date. As per a ‘Save the Children’ representative, “We would highly appreciate this move if the relevant government authorities communicate to us officially on the matter.”
The Pakistani authorities had padlocked the offices of the International NGO in Islamabad last week without any prior notice too. The NGO officials had voiced strong objections against it and had threatened to present the case before higher authorities.
However, the officials on 11th June had commanded the dissolution of the aid organization because it was suspected of being involved in ‘anti-state activities.’
Save the Children has been under the cloud since 2012 when the Pakistani authorities suspected it of conducting fake vaccination programs for the CIA to track the Al-Qaeda head, Osama bin Laden. Save the Children had denied all such allegations.
Pakistan has become increasingly conscious about the NGOs operating within its territory but carrying out the agendas of the foreign governments, violating the conditions on their charters.
