ISLAMABAD: The capital police have been told to shut down operations of 11 international non-government organisations (INGOs) after the interior ministry denied them permission to function in the country.

In a letter addressed to all four zonal superintendents of police, the senior superintendent of police has ordered that the operations of the INGOs be shut down.

Four of these INGOs are based in the UK, two are from USA and one each from China, Denmark, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Pakistan.

The letter says these organisations applied for registration with the interior ministry which were rejected. The SPs were asked to close these down if they were still working in their limits and to submit a written compliance report in the office of the SSP, it says.

The SPs were also asked to submit a report even if no INGOs were operating in their limits.

SSP Najeebur Rehman Bugvi told Dawn that the INGOs were issued letters from the interior ministry in November to close down their operations in the country.

The operation of the INGOs came into notice during a meeting held to advise security for sensitive installations, including for foreign missions, he said, adding that security cover and advisory cannot be issued to those who are not registered or were denied operation.

According to the letter, the INGOs which were denied permission to operate are the Zia-ul Ummat Foundation UK, Al-Khair Foundation UK, Safe World UK, International Alert UK, Centre For International Enterprise USA, Acumen Fund Inc USA, AVRDC-World Vegetable Centre Taiwan Republic of China, Central Asia Education Trust Pakistan, Danish Refugee Council Denmark, Foundation Open Society Institute Pakistan Switzerland and Oxfam Novib Netherlands.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2018