ISLAMABAD: After spotting banned organisations collecting donations, the capital administration on Thursday imposed section 144 for two months, stopping them from raising funds.

Administration officials and police told Dawn that some proscribed organisations were found collecting funds outside places of worship.

They said fundraising activities were conducted in urban and rural areas in the name of charity in Ramazan.

In response it has been decided to ban fundraising activities and police were directed to make the Special Branch active to increase vigilance and intelligence around places of worship, seminaries and markets to keep an eye on those involved in fundraising in the name of charity.

The police were also asked to collect details of individuals fundraising in the capital and inform the capital administration for appropriate action.

Deputy Commissioner Hamza Shafqaat told Dawn the ban was imposed after proscribed organisations were seen fundraising in the capital. He said the collection of any kind of funds by anyone has been banned.

He said other organisations engaged in welfare work may approach the district magistrate for a no-objection certificate (NOC) to raise funds. An NOC will be issued after the organisations are cleared by the concerned departments.

According to an order issued by the office of the deputy commissioner: “It has been brought to notice that some organizations which are under watch list of UNSC/designated organization/individuals as per SROs of Ministry of Foreign Affairs and proscribed/under observation organization/individuals (also their subsidiary welfare organizations wing) under ATA 1997 are raising funds in any form, charity boxes, advertisement, holding events, displaying banners for their organization.”

It said that these organisations are also involved in social, political, welfare and religious activities ultimately used for illegal purposes.

The order stated that there are sufficient grounds to proceed under section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code to prohibit fundraising of any kind, and social, political, welfare and religious activities by those organisations or individuals – and their subsidiary welfare organisations and wings – in the capital.

Published in Dawn, May 10th, 2019