'Panic And Confusion' As Pakistan Orders Foreign Aid Groups To Shut Down
Aid workers warn that the move will upend services to the country's neediest people and threaten hundreds of jobs. What's behind the government's decision?
Citing security concerns, Pakistani authorities ordered over 20 foreign aid groups to cease operations by February.
Aid workers said the move could upend services to the country's neediest people. The groups on the list do everything from providing contraception to women to helping farmers purchase drought-resistant seeds. In addition, the aid workers say, hundreds of local jobs could be threatened.
The notice came in early December. Since then, "there's a sense of panic and confusion" in the nonprofit community, says Mohammed Qazilbash, country director of Oxfam Pakistan.
Pakistan has long viewed foreign aid groups with suspicion, particularly since
