AFP, ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's interior minister yesterday said the government was ready to throw out more foreign aid groups, a day after Save the Children were expelled for working against the country. Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said parliament was debating whether to expose what he said were the many foreign non-governmental organisations (NGOs) bent on undermining Pakistan. Police and government officials sealed the Islamabad offices of Save the Children on Thursday, but gave no specific details of what the group was alleged to have done. Pakistan has toughened its policies towards international aid groups in recent years, accusing them of being covers for spying operations and has repeatedly warned them to restrict their activities, vowing stern action for any suspicious activity. Many NGOs are working against Pakistan and we are deliberating on exposing them in the parliament, Nisar told reporters on Friday.
Non-Government Organisations working against the country's national interest will not be allowed to continue their work in Pakistan. Aid groups have complained in recent years that increasing government restrictions on their activities has hampered their efforts to help vulnerable people in a country which still has huge numbers who live in poverty.