LAHORE: Keeping in view the recently-enacted Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) legislations, the Punjab government has announced to make the registration process for non-profit organisations (NPOs) easier across Punjab to achieve 'certain' targets but will not allow anyone to work against the national interest.

Provincial Minister for Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Maal Syed Yawar Abbas Bokhari said this while presiding over a meeting here on Tuesday. Secretary Social Welfare & Bait-ul-Mall Hassan Iqbal and Director General Shahid Niaz were among the prominent participants of the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, the minister revealed that the Punjab government has decided in principle to make registration process of NPOs and NGOs easier. In this regard, the government is going to introduce an online registration system in Punjab which will be started from July 2021.

"NGOs have a vital role in social uplifting; therefore, we will encourage NGOs to achieve certain targets. But no NGO will be allowed to work against the national interest," he declared, adding that NGOs must not have any type of classification (secrecy) and they should not create an impression that they are any type of state agency.

According to Bokhari, all the NGOs should be restricted to their decided areas. "But in case of emergency, the services of NGOs can be extended to other areas, subject to the permission of the government department," he added.

While observing the role NGOs play in social uplifting, the minister said that the NGOs should come forward to strengthen public programmes. He further said that it is the need of the hour to achieve targets set by the government in the light of recently-enacted laws in compliance with the recommendation of the FATF.

A couple of months ago, the Punjab government on the recommendation of the country's premier intelligence agency and its allied departments had identified and closed down operation activities of at least 10 NPOs/NGOs in Punjab on the charges of violating the requirements under the FATF laws. Subsequently, the government had also lodged 10 FIRs against the managements of these organisations.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020