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Pakistan Warns Aid Groups to Follow Unspecified Rules Pakistan Warns Aid Groups to Follow Unspecified Rules
(about 7 hours later)
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — After the police shut down the offices of a major Western aid group, Pakistan’s interior minister warned Friday that other foreign organizations operating in Pakistan faced greater scrutiny and the possibility of expulsion if they failed to adhere to unspecified rules and laws.ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — After the police shut down the offices of a major Western aid group, Pakistan’s interior minister warned Friday that other foreign organizations operating in Pakistan faced greater scrutiny and the possibility of expulsion if they failed to adhere to unspecified rules and laws.
“We do not want to impose a ban on any N.G.O., but they will have to respect the code of conduct,” said the minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, referring to nongovernmental organizations.“We do not want to impose a ban on any N.G.O., but they will have to respect the code of conduct,” said the minister, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, referring to nongovernmental organizations.
A day earlier, Pakistani officials abruptly sealed the Islamabad offices of the Save the Children, which has operated in Pakistan for 35 years, for what were described as “anti-Pakistan” activities. The group was given 15 days to wind down its operations.A day earlier, Pakistani officials abruptly sealed the Islamabad offices of the Save the Children, which has operated in Pakistan for 35 years, for what were described as “anti-Pakistan” activities. The group was given 15 days to wind down its operations.
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Khan said Pakistan’s intelligence agencies had reported “irregularities” among other aid groups working in Pakistan, although he did not name them or the laws they had broken.Speaking to reporters, Mr. Khan said Pakistan’s intelligence agencies had reported “irregularities” among other aid groups working in Pakistan, although he did not name them or the laws they had broken.
The crackdown comes at a time of constricting freedoms of expression and movement in Pakistan, and drew an unusually public rebuke from the State Department, whose spokesman, John Kirby, described Save the Children as a group that had “long operated with transparency” in Pakistan.The crackdown comes at a time of constricting freedoms of expression and movement in Pakistan, and drew an unusually public rebuke from the State Department, whose spokesman, John Kirby, described Save the Children as a group that had “long operated with transparency” in Pakistan.
Of late, he added, numerous international aid groups had reported “difficulty doing business in Pakistan,” which was hurting broader efforts to help the country.Of late, he added, numerous international aid groups had reported “difficulty doing business in Pakistan,” which was hurting broader efforts to help the country.
But the attempts to help Pakistanis have become entangled with suspicions of espionage among the country’s security services since 2011, when Save the Children faced accusations that a senior official with the group had helped the C.I.A. recruit a Pakistani doctor who became involved in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.But the attempts to help Pakistanis have become entangled with suspicions of espionage among the country’s security services since 2011, when Save the Children faced accusations that a senior official with the group had helped the C.I.A. recruit a Pakistani doctor who became involved in the hunt for Osama bin Laden.
“We will support those N.G.O.s who are doing a good job,” Mr. Khan said. “But we cannot allow anti-state N.G.O.s to operate under the umbrella of the good ones.”“We will support those N.G.O.s who are doing a good job,” Mr. Khan said. “But we cannot allow anti-state N.G.O.s to operate under the umbrella of the good ones.”
Mr. Khan said that his ministry had started an extensive review of international organizations working in Pakistan about one year ago.Mr. Khan said that his ministry had started an extensive review of international organizations working in Pakistan about one year ago.
Pakistani news reports said that review resulted in the closure of iMMAP, a Washington-based data-analysis organization that works with aid groups. Pakistani officials have accused the group of mapping military installations. And in 2014, the government closed the Norwegian Refugee Council, amid official accusations that its staff had been collecting data from the tribal regions in an unauthorized way.Pakistani news reports said that review resulted in the closure of iMMAP, a Washington-based data-analysis organization that works with aid groups. Pakistani officials have accused the group of mapping military installations. And in 2014, the government closed the Norwegian Refugee Council, amid official accusations that its staff had been collecting data from the tribal regions in an unauthorized way.
Analysts warned that while military and intelligence agencies sought to uncover any Western espionage in the guise of relief work, in expelling Save the Children they also sought to signal that organizations working independently would not be tolerated.Analysts warned that while military and intelligence agencies sought to uncover any Western espionage in the guise of relief work, in expelling Save the Children they also sought to signal that organizations working independently would not be tolerated.
“The state is signaling that security comes before public welfare,” said Cyril Almeida, an editor at Dawn newspaper. “An old paranoia is adjusting to new perceived threats.”“The state is signaling that security comes before public welfare,” said Cyril Almeida, an editor at Dawn newspaper. “An old paranoia is adjusting to new perceived threats.”
The authorities have quietly attempted to nudge other foreigners out of the country in recent months, usually by refusing to extend visas. Local news media reported that at least a dozen Western organizations have been put under scrutiny. And on Friday, Rehman Malik, a former interior minister, told a standing committee of the Pakistani Senate that two Western diplomatic missions had been involved in tapping phone conversations of senior Pakistani leaders.The authorities have quietly attempted to nudge other foreigners out of the country in recent months, usually by refusing to extend visas. Local news media reported that at least a dozen Western organizations have been put under scrutiny. And on Friday, Rehman Malik, a former interior minister, told a standing committee of the Pakistani Senate that two Western diplomatic missions had been involved in tapping phone conversations of senior Pakistani leaders.
Asad Munir, a retired army brigadier and former officer with the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, the powerful military spy agency, said the ban reflected a deeply ingrained mind-set that Western aid groups were working against Pakistani culture or, since the Bin Laden raid, engaged in espionage.Asad Munir, a retired army brigadier and former officer with the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, the powerful military spy agency, said the ban reflected a deeply ingrained mind-set that Western aid groups were working against Pakistani culture or, since the Bin Laden raid, engaged in espionage.
“It is just to deflect attention from their own incompetence,” he said, noting that Pakistan was already the object of intensive Western surveillance efforts that obviated, at least to some degree, the need for ground operatives.“It is just to deflect attention from their own incompetence,” he said, noting that Pakistan was already the object of intensive Western surveillance efforts that obviated, at least to some degree, the need for ground operatives.
Several analysts said that the restrictions were part of a broader effort, orchestrated by the military, to curb debate over human rights abuses in sensitive areas like Baluchistan, the southern province where the army has been accused of widespread torture and extrajudicial executions.Several analysts said that the restrictions were part of a broader effort, orchestrated by the military, to curb debate over human rights abuses in sensitive areas like Baluchistan, the southern province where the army has been accused of widespread torture and extrajudicial executions.
Since a gun attack in April 2014 on Hamid Mir, a prominent journalist who had covered the Baluchistan abuses, the conflict has been subject to only cursory coverage on many Pakistani media outlets.Since a gun attack in April 2014 on Hamid Mir, a prominent journalist who had covered the Baluchistan abuses, the conflict has been subject to only cursory coverage on many Pakistani media outlets.
In April, unidentified gunmen killed Sabeen Mahmud, an outspoken activist, in her car in Karachi after she had helped host a conference on the Baluchistan crisis. Many have taken her killing as a chilling signal against dissent. Even though the police have arrested an Islamist they say killed Ms. Mahmud, ostensibly for her pro-Western views, some critics have accused the military of playing a role in the attack.In April, unidentified gunmen killed Sabeen Mahmud, an outspoken activist, in her car in Karachi after she had helped host a conference on the Baluchistan crisis. Many have taken her killing as a chilling signal against dissent. Even though the police have arrested an Islamist they say killed Ms. Mahmud, ostensibly for her pro-Western views, some critics have accused the military of playing a role in the attack.
“The basic ideas is to curb all independent discussion,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, the author of a book on the military. “If you are sympathetic to the establishment, you can get donations. But if you talk about human rights then you are deemed to have crossed a line. That’s when they strike back.”“The basic ideas is to curb all independent discussion,” said Ayesha Siddiqa, the author of a book on the military. “If you are sympathetic to the establishment, you can get donations. But if you talk about human rights then you are deemed to have crossed a line. That’s when they strike back.”
Efforts to reach representatives of the military or the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate for comment were not successful. Efforts to reach representatives of the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate for comment were not successful.