Why was IMMAP Office raided in Karachi
Karachi, Pakistan: Why was IMMAP Office raided in Karachi, is still have many information that need to be shared and need to be explored. The raid on IMMAP (INGO, Program of US AID) office and detention of its staff at local Police station in Karachi in second week of November was a story that appeared in national media and then disappeared it, giving no details about the issue in depth. Though the staff was released later own without any charges but that news itself jolted many quarters and gave food to many to tilt it according to their wishes.
According to dispatch News Desk investigation, the arrest was done due to many appropriate reasons.
After the raid in Karachi office IMMAP Head Office in Islamabad appealed to Home Secretary of Government of Sinfh (Karachi) about the incident but on the other hand IMMAP office was issues a notice by Kohsar Police Station giving them two days to close thier head office.
Upon further investigation, it was revealed that at present, MOU of IMMAp Pakistan is in process with Eco Affair Division. While IMMAP claims that they are the forefront of efforts to support flood response in Pakistan.
NDMA, as per its Chairman Dr Zafar Qadir, declared its disassociation with ‘Information Management and Mine Action Program (IMMAP) operating under UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in January 2012 but apart from this fact the organisation continues to map flood hit areas using GIS. Many other concerned departments were also alarmed but there was no progress.
The organisation IMMAP was actually hired by UNOCHA and tasked to to develop a ‘single reporting format project’ to standardize the procedures but It failed to deliver on the requirement and in January 2012, the contract was terminated. The foreign ministry responded to a query by the NDMA, informing them that the mandate of IMMAP was to focus only on mines clearances. The foreign ministry also reminded that Pakistan was neither in a state of conflict nor a post-conflict country and therefore the ministry concurs with the NDMA that IMMAP discontinue all of its activities.
Muazzam Khan, the foreign ministry spokesman, has also said: “There are some international relief and aid organisations working outside their mandate in Pakistan. They are performing unauthorised functions, including spying under the garb of humanitarian efforts and have enrolled irrelevant foreigners to work in Pakistan.” The Economic Affairs Division is also on record to have admitted that IMMAP was not registered with the government adding that its activities should be a cause of concern for security agencies.
A Letter titled “Unauthorised operations of NGOs in Pakistan” was also published in a private news paper on November, 23, 2012 and cane be found on the link mentioned below.
http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/11/23/comment/editors-mail/unauthorised-operations-of-ngos-in-pakistan/
