The Pakistani authorities have granted Qatar Charity (QC) a licence to practise humanitarian work in the country.
With this, QC has become one of the first two non-government organisations (NGOs) – from among 127 applicants – to be given a licence to operate in the south Asian country.
In a statement, QC has said the decision is part of the Pakistani authorities’ efforts to organise the activities of civil society bodies in their territory.
All memorandums related to licensing NGOs had been suspended by the Pakistani government since November 2013. NGOs were required to apply again for a licence and follow a number of standards and mechanisms for field work in the country.
The first two approved applications are those of QC and the Belgian Doctors without Borders.


One of the projects involved providing houses for poor families in Pakistan.

Faysal al-Fahida, QC’s director of operations, thanked the Pakistani authorities for its faith in the organisation, saying this proved the credibility and transparency of Qatar Charity’s work.
Al-Fahida stressed that QC conveys, through its offices, a message of hope to needy people around the world, regardless of their identity.
The news was also welcomed by the media in Pakistan, both English and Urdu, as well as by those concerned with humanitarian work in the country, who felt it important to commend QC and the way it conducted its work. QC’s office also received congratulatory calls.
QC had started its activities in Pakistan in 1992 as a local association. Its activities cover the fields of health, education, economic enabling, relief, water & sanitation and craft training centres.
In the field of social care, QC sponsors more than 4,000 orphans, poor families and students.
The office in Pakistan co-operates with local organisations to ease the suffering of the neediest categories of people. It also co-ordinates with Unicef to implement projects pertaining to water & sanitation, health facilities, awareness and suburban seminars and organise festivals on the occasion of Global Handwashing Day.
The festivals include the distribution of thousands of personal hygiene kits to school students in Rajanpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Bannu. QC also works with Unicef to construct facilities for the disabled and sewage networks for the displaced in Waziristan.