ISLAMABAD, The fate of about 80,000 employees of the National Commission for Human Development (NCHD) stands completely sealed, with the Government refusing to provide budgetary grant to the Commission.

“It is difficult for the Government to keep on giving funds to an organization which is not serious in meeting its obligations and commitments”, an official spokesman said on Monday.

He pointed out that the NCHD was established voluntarily by a group of overseas and local sponsors in 2003 with the understanding given by its founding Members that it will undertake programs and projects in the social sector in collaboration with philanthropists. It was envisaged at that time that a Trust Fund would be created and all donations including Government of Pakistan grants will be placed in the Fund and its operations will be funded largely from private donations and contributions. Contrary to this concept, NCHD has been funded almost entirely from Federal Government budget. So far the Government has provided Rs.6.722 billion.

The Spokesman said it was expected that NCHD would gradually take care of its operations through matching contributions committed in collaboration with local and international philanthropists. In spite of very generous support by the Government, NCHD has failed to deliver on its commitment and now shifting its responsibilities and liabilities on the government’s grants. Time and again the representatives of the government have reminded the Chairman NCHD and its Board to ensure contribution, committed by the NCHD sponsors.

He said in various meetings held recently at various levels of the Government, the Chairman has again been reminded to make sure that the matching contributions be made by the NCHD sponsors, which were to be raised through the sources initially identified by the NCHD. All such efforts could not bear any fruit. Resultantly, the NCHD has been asked to complete the prescribed documentation before the Government can consider further assistance. Despite reminders at various levels, no effort has been seen in this regard. Instead, NCHD without the consent of the Government, kept on expanding its operations, thereby increasing its financial liabilities without realizing its resource position while the Government is facing serious financial constraints in meeting its own operational requirements.

The spokesman said keeping in view the backlog on account of salaries of the employees of the NCHD, a large sum of grant of Rs.472 million was given to NCHD in June, 2008. At that stage, NCHD was again asked to approach international donors so that NCHD could meet its own created financial obligations. So far the NCHD has not completed the documentation in the prescribed format against which further allocation could be considered. He said in these circumstances, it was very difficult for the Government to keep on providing funds to the NCHD.

The sacked employees of the NCHD on the other hand keep on staging protest demonstrations in different parts of the country demanding reinstatement of their services and release of fund to the Commission. They term the decision to wind up NCHD operation in 114 districts of Pakistan, and terminate their services as economic strangulation of thousands of families.

They say the move was surprising because the NCHD had won Unesco’s 2006 International Literacy Award after managing enrolment of over 8.2 million school children and establishing 21,639 community-based schools and 122,000 Adult Literacy Centres.

The NCHD was formed in July 2002 and until recently was working in 114 District throughout Pakistan.NCHD’s core programmes include education and health care. Education programs include the Universal Primary Education ,Adult Literacy Centers, Non-formal Basic Education and community feeder schools. Health care programs include ORS and Training, Primary Health Care Extension, School Health Programs and Basic Health Education. NCHD also has programs for capacity-building and promoting volunteerism.

The NCHD had engaged around 80,000 candidates, mostly from rural areas, by providing them employment to carry out its planned activities. However all of NCHD employees have been served termination notices due to financial constraints caused by stoppage of funding to NCHD by government.