Current Affairs Past Papers | NGOs’ Shrinking Role Globally and in Pakistan
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Question Breakdown
The examiner expects you to deconstruct the quote, trace global factors driving NGO skepticism, detail Pakistan’s specific post-2011 regulatory/security squeeze, and critically balance state security with civil society’s role.
Outline
1- Introduction
2- Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as Force Multipliers
3- Current Situation: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) under Public Skepticism
4- Why is the Space of NGOs Shrinking in Many Parts of the World, With Specific Reference to Pakistan?
- ✓ Due to Democratic Recession and Authoritative Resurgence
- Evidence: Administrative overreach in Pakistan shows a reflection of democratic recession and authoritative resurgence through a unique national lens, shrinking the space of NGOs under the guise of regulation
- ✓ Due to the Weaponization of Administrative and legal Tools in the wake of Authoritative Resurgence
- Evidence: Pakistan’s legal framework for NGOs demands compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which helps consolidate the state’s stringent control over them, whereas policies for local NGOs receiving foreign contributions gave EAD and security agencies veto power over funding, limiting their space to evolve.
- ✓ Post 9/11 Securitization, NGOs Labeled as Security Threats
- Evidence: Pakistan-led digital repression apparatus and banning of Baloch activists’ movements display post 9/11 security paradigm where Acts and Laws are often misused to stigmatize NGOs as foreign agents.
- ✓ Defunding of Civil Society by Leading Donors
- Evidence: According to the report of HRCP, NGOs in Pakistan are facing a severe funding squeeze compounded by international aid cuts by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID), and the European Union (EU).
4- Conclusion
Answer to the Question
Introduction
NGO (Non-Governmental Organization) is a non-profit and voluntary group of citizens organized at a local, national, or international level to address a social, political, or environmental issue. Its scope and activities reach beyond territorial boundaries, often advocating human rights and women’s empowerment. In 2001, Colin Powell proclaimed that NGOs are a force multiplier, which refers to anything that increases overall effectiveness without increasing size. In the case of Pakistan, Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) are facing significant public and state skepticism due to mounting national security and sovereignty concerns. According to the report of Lokmat Times, a part of the Indian Lokmat media group, NGO-led fund misuse, such as 90lakhs from the Gaza Relief Fund transferred through a foreign website, and other financial scams, such as a USAID-funded $136 million set aside for 120 fictitious schools, are prevalent alongside agenda-driven work, creating a trust deficit among people. The points outline the reasons for the shrinking space for NGOs, with special reference to Pakistan. First, democratic backsliding to cater to the independent forces, dissent, and consolidate power at the global level limits civic space. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, administrative oversight reflects a democratic recession and an authoritative resurgence, shrinking the space for NGOs under the guise of regulation. Second, security concerns, as in the case of Pakistan, the legal framework for NGOs promotes the state’s stringent control over them, with exclusive veto powers over funding. Third, the emergence of the post 9/11 terrorist tendencies and security threats, where state-led digital repression apparatus and the banning of Baloch activists’ movements displayed post 9/11 security paradigm. However, legal tools are often misused to stigmatize NGOs as foreign agents. Last, systematic defunding by major donors amid security threats, especially the US, limits the expansion of NGOs globally. To conclude, democratic recession, authoritative resurgence, securitization, and defunding at the global and national level are shrinking the space of NGOs in an unprecedented way.
Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) as Force Multipliers
The term “force multiplier’ refers to anything that increases overall effectiveness without increasing size. The concept originated from military theory and was later formalized in modern US military doctrine. In 2001, Colin Powell proclaimed, “NGOs are such a force multiplier”. In modern times, researchers argue that non-governmental Organizations and military interventions, when acting together, can create a “force multiplier effect” in improving human security outcomes.
Current Situation: Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) under public skepticism
Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) in Pakistan are facing significant public and state skepticism due to mounting national security concerns. Besides, cases of fund misuse are prevalent, such as the transfer of 90 lakhs rupees from the Gaza Relief Fund through an offshore online platform, as well as the alleged scams in which $136 million was set aside for 120 fictitious schools. These incidents, alongside agenda-driven work, have created a trust deficit among the public. Based on the abovementioned reasons, Pakistan ordered the expulsion of 18 international NGOs, including World Vision and ActionAid, impacting human rights and advocacy in an unprecedented way. International organizations, such as the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), relate the state’s regulatory control to democratic backsliding, shrinking the space of NGOs.
Why NGOs’ space is shrinking in many parts of the world, with specific reference to Pakistan?
Answering why NGOs’ space is shrinking in many parts of the world, a well-integrated approach is required at the global and national level. The following points provides the reasons of shrinking space of NGOs with special reference to Pakistan.
- ✓ Due to Democratic Recession and Authoritative Resurgence
First, democratic backsliding, which is a defining global trend of the 21st century, limits the civic space where states use this tool to cater to the independent forces, dissent, and consolidate power, as illustrated by the fact that nearly a third of the world’s population lives in an autocracy. Unfortunately, in Pakistan, these global trends are reflected through a unique lens. In this case, it’s the administrative overreach that shows a reflection of democratic recession and authoritative resurgence through a unique national lens, shrinking the space of NGOs under the guise of regulation. Several processes, such as mandatory Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Economic Affairs Division (EAD), district-level No-Objection Certificates (NOCs), and security clearances, compulsory re-registration with provincial charities commissions, give authorities discretionary powers to control NGOs under non-official or official bans.
- ✓ Due to Weaponization of Administrative and legal Tools in the wake of Authoritative Resurgence
Second, many states around the world are deliberately attempting to restrict the civil society space amid security concerns. They limit the independence of civic society by using legal frameworks that impose strict regulatory and registration-related requirements. Besides, bureaucratic hurdles amid stringent regulatory frameworks narrow down the operational sphere of NGOs. In the case of Pakistan, the legal framework for NGOs demands compliance with the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), which promotes the state’s stringent control over them, whereas policies for local NGOs receiving foreign contributions gave the Economic Affairs Division (EAD) and security agencies veto power over funding, limiting the space of NGOs.
- ✓ Post 9/11 Securitization, NGOs Labeled as Security Threats
Third, the emergence of the post 9/11 terrorist tendencies and security threats provided impetus to many states to label NGOs as national security threats. However, some of them associated foreign funding for civil society as a tool of foreign interference. In the case of Pakistan, the state-led digital repression apparatus and the banning of Baloch activists’ movements displayed post 9/11 security paradigm where certain acts and laws were often misused to stigmatize NGOs as foreign agents. Many activist organizations, such as Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), were banned, and their prominent figures were arrested. Besides, many tools were introduced to increase censorship and expand surveillance, such as sweeping amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) in 2025. Altogether, these steps narrowed the space for the development of NGOs.
- ✓ Defunding of Civil Society by Leading Donors
In the wake of new world order, systematic defunding by major donors amid security threats, especially US limit the expansion of NGOs globally. It’s often cited as crisis of funding and sustainability where financial strangulation is forcing NGOs to scale back their operations. Many organizations are closed entirely. However, these crisis deter the formation of new organizations. According to the report of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), NGOs in Pakistan are facing a severe funding squeeze compounded by international aid cuts by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Department for International Development (DFID), and the European Union (EU). However, the ousted stemmed from government expulsions, regulatory pressures, or security issues. For illustration, one of the units of the Direct Focus Community Aid (DFCA) in Khyber Pakhtun Khuwa shut down due to security concerns, whereas Sindh Rural Support Organization (SRSO) suspended its three health projects due to funding cuts.
Conclusion
To conclude, democratic recession, authoritative resurgence, securitization, and defunding at the global and national level are shrinking the space of NGOs in an unprecedented way. Despite having a force multiplier effect, NGOs are facing significant public and state skepticism due to mounting national security and sovereignty concerns. The space of NGOs is shrinking at the global and Pakistan level due to democratic backsliding to cater to the independent forces, dissent, and consolidate power. However, administrative overreach shows a reflection of democratic recession and authoritative resurgence, shrinking the space of NGOs under the guise of regulation. Besides the security concerns, as in the case of Pakistan, the legal framework for NGOs promotes the state’s stringent control over them with exclusive veto powers over funding. Next, the emergence of the post 9/11 terrorist tendencies and security threats, where state-led digital repression apparatus and the banning of Baloch activists’ movements displayed post 9/11 security paradigm. Last, systematic defunding by major donors amid security threats, especially the US, limits the expansion of NGOs globally.
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