Representatives of various civil society organisations have voiced concern over unnecessary restrictions on operational activities, and implementation of authoritarian policies of the government, as what they called an attempt to hinder social welfare and development process in the country.
Speaking at a news conference, jointly organised by Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network (PCSN) and Tribal NGOs Consortium, at the Press Club here on Thursday, Sanna Ejaz, a representative of Shirkat Gah, a non-government organisation, said the successive governments had always slapped embargos on that important social development sector and restricted their activities through unilateral policies.
She viewed that the NGOs were playing pivotal role in socio-economic uplift and bringing changes in social fabric of society, under ambit of constitution of the country and international protocols. She, essentially, added the organisations were striving hard to ensure implementation of all fundamental rights, freedom of expression, and global laws on organisations. Shabeen Ayaz from Aurat Foundation said the government had restricted the activities of NGOs and created hurdle in their effective functioning by introducing strict policies and laws in the country, which was mere aimed at curbing the freedom of expression. She mentioned that strict laws had been introduced for CSOs, which was merely aimed at creating hurdle in their work and welfare activities. She further explained that it was made pre-requisite for NGOs to get No-Objection Certificate for renewal of annual registration of the organisations under new laws, otherwise, she added the NGOs didn't allow to carryout their activities anywhere in the country.