ISLAMABAD, 22 JUNE (DNA) – Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan has said registration, monitoring and security clearance of all NGOs (Non-Governmental Organization) would now be done by the Interior Ministry.

Talking to media in Islamabad on Monday, he said the decision has been taken by the Prime Minister in the light of a report prepared by a Committee headed by Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Syed Tariq Fatemi.

The Minister said the registration of NGOs would be now online in a transparent manner.

He said there would be a transparent accountability system detailing sources of funding and objectives of the NGO.

The Minister said the Government would encourage NGOs for self-regulatory system.

He said all local and foreign NGOs will have to register or re-register within six months and those not doing so or refused registration will have to leave Pakistan.

He said no NGO would be allowed to work in FATA, Gilgit-Baltistan and other declared security zones.

The Minister said currently there are thousands of NGOs in the country but about forty percent are not registered and there is no database of these organizations.

About Save the Children NGO, the Minister said its project on which there were reservations, was closed last year. DNA