PESHAWAR, July 25: The proposed Non-profit Organizations (Governance and Support) Ordinance, 2002, has been drawing cold response from NGOs here, terming it an act aimed at bringing these organizations under the government’s control.

While consultation has been going on across the country on the proposed ordinance, the NGos here believed that these consultations were driven towards predetermined recommendations instead of putting forward genuine proposals.

Some of the organizations claimed that in past they had given approval of a proposed law dealing with the NGOs, but the present government had put that ordinance into the cold storage and instead come forward with a new ordinance. They claimed that the previous proposed ordinance was aimed at consolidating laws dealing with registration of the NGOs.

The Joint Action Committee (JAC) of civil society groups has already forwarded its reservations on the proposed law. In its meeting here on Wednesday, the members of the JAC opposed the proposed law and claimed that certain of its sections would bring the NGOs directly under the control of government.

The members claimed that the Commission for  Non-profit Organizations, to be set up under the proposed law, would be a powerful body to which all the organizations would be subservient. Moreover, they said, the commission would also enjoy powers of a civil court.

They said the government had assigned the task of mustering support for the proposed law to certain figures who claimed themselves to be NGOs-friendly, but instead they had been following agenda of the government.

Under the law the said commission should have a governing board consisting of 15 members, ten permanent and five ex-officio. These members will include: five professionals in the field of development, academics, business, law, etc; five citizens with experience as development workers or managers or rights advocates associated  with non-profit organizations;  additional  chief secretary, planning and development; secretary social welfare department; secretary finance department; secretary excise and taxation department; and, one full-time non-voting member, to be designated the executive member of the commission.

It is learnt that after finalization of the draft ordinance it would be promulgated by all four provincial governments. Under the law all organisations shall file with the commission at the end of each fiscal year seeking of the details of foreign funds received in excess of Rs 100,000. The detail to be provide shall include the identity of the donor, the amount, and the purposes for which funds were received.

The JAC in its meeting observed that the bodies representing the NGOs on national and provincial level should  clearly pronounce its stance on the proposed ordinance as it would have far-reaching  consequences for  these  organizations.  The participants stated that every organizations in existence on, and that comes into existence after, the commencement date of this ordinance would apply for registration with the proposed commission.