ISLAMABAD: A non-governmental organisation (NGO) has been involved in looting money from hundreds of women in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
According to details, a fake NGO, Women Development Scheme, had collected millions of rupees from the women in installment for two years to be returned in terms of different gold ornaments, jewelry and domestic-use items. After receiving the installments from over 200 women for two years, the said NGO had given gold ornaments to some women which later proved to be artificial.
Interestingly, while the remaining affectees of the NGO were yet to get the gold stuff, at least eight women had recently approached the assistant commissioner through a written application, demanding him to take action against the alleged fake NGO and ensure the return of their money. In the application, the women stated that they did not find any staffer or office in Gilgit city on the prescribed address when they tried to approach the NGO to register a complaint regarding artificial gold ornaments. They said that the contact numbers provided by the NGO have also been switched off.
On the basis of the women’s application, a copy of which is available with Pakistan Today, Gilgit Executive Magistrate Asghar Khan has taken notice of the suspected NGO and initiated action against it.
Reportedly, the NGO has allegedly looted millions of rupees from about 250 women in Gilgit and Dynor, promising them expensive gold ornaments and other domestic-use items. The NGO had an office at Dar Plaza in Gilgit city, which has been locked up for the last six months.
Following directives from the executive magistrate, the police raided the NGO’s office, which was locked up. A gunman was present at the office, who told the police that a lady, who presented herself as the in charge, used to operate the office. However, the lady has not showed-up for the last six months.
Arrest warrants against staffers of the NGO have been issued on the executive magistrate’s order. The Station House Officer (SHO) of Nomal Police Station has been directed to ensure the immediate arrest and presentation of the staffers before the magistrate.
As per the police officials, GB police have been making raids in the city to arrest the NGO’s staffers, however, any arrest is yet to be made. They said that if needed, help would be sought from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) in tracing the staffers. The police said that it would take some time to trace the staffers and the origins of the NGO, as it had not been registered with the relevant government departments.
This is not for the first time that an alleged fake NGO has looted people in GB as they were deprived of valuables and money by fake NGOs in the past as well.
Unfortunately, fake companies and NGOs have previously looted millions of rupees from the people of the region. A fake company had looted over Rs250 million in Ghizer district as reported by Pakistan Today last month. Earlier in 2006, a Karachi-based bank known as Big Board had looted thousands of people in different districts of the area. A case related to this fraud is still under investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
