Since Save the Children US was found to have a role in the operation to capture Osama Bin Laden, authorities in Pakistan have viewed the activities of foreign INGOs with much increased suspicion. The general perception amongst the Government circles is that all INGOs are working somehow against the interests of Pakistan. In order to monitor and regulate the INGOs and development sector in Pakistan the Government of Pakistan launched an INGO Policy in 2016. Under the Policy, in order for INGOs to work in Pakistan they would have to execute an MoU with the Government. The term of the MoU would be a 1 year and for a successive renewal the INGO would have to submit a ton of paper work. Under the MoU the INGOs are required to submit quarterly reports to the Government, submit an annual action plan, disclose funding, take permission for funding, disclose areas of work, not wander out of areas of work, obtain NoCs from Government while working in different geographical areas of Pakistan, have their accounts audited by Government approved auditors. In short the oversight in respect of INGOs and the development sector in Pakistan has increased a thousand fold.
We are the only law firm in Pakistan with area specific experience in dealing with the Aid and Charity sector. We count as our clients’ organizations such as Oxfam GB, Oxfam Novib, Voluntary Services Overseas UK (VSO), HelpAge, DAI Persi, CIMMYT Mexico, International Food Policy Research Institute Washington (IFPRI), Coffey International, Alight International, GIZ Germany, Tear Fund, Muslim Aid, BRAC, Tetra Tech, Poverty Alleviation Fund, USAID. We have been working with Oxfam GB and Oxfam Novib on a retainer since 2011, with VSO on a retainer since 2013, with Help Age since 2016.
