State Bank to seek NGOs’ bank account details

KARACHI:

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has instructed all commercial banks to give details of their bank accounts, those belonging to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) operating across the country.

The move came days after the Supreme Court expressed dissatisfaction with the provinces over their failure to keep a tab on the activities of foreign-funded NGOs in Pakistan.

An SBP spokesperson told a private media outlet that the central bank had asked for information on NGOs’ bank accounts on the request of Attorney General Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt. 

“The AGP approached us after the Supreme Court told him to produce details about the NGOs operating in Pakistan,” SBP Director and Chief Spokesman Abid Qamar said.

However, the SBP has not issued any formal circular or notification to that effect so far.