PESH AWAR: Various civil society organisations on Monday expressed concern about the Foreign Contribution Bill complaining the proposed law was meant to restrict the foreign funding of organisations working for the people`s welfare.

They urged the federal government to implement the crucial UN Human Rights Council resolution on civil society space, and fully cooperate with the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of assembly and of association.

The call was given during a dialogue organised at the Peshawar Press Club, where the representatives of Civil Society Law Monitor, Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network, Women Action Forum, TransAction Alliance, Alliance to End Early Child and Forced Marriages, Disability Network, Rawadari Tehreek, Child Rights Movement, EVAW Alliance, Fata Commission for Human Rights, District Coordination Council, Men UNiT E, Tribal NGOs Consortium, KP Working Women Labour Union and NationalActionCoordination Group (NACG KP/Fata) were in attendance.

The speakers said the government was likely to introduce the Foreign Contribution Bill, which would restrict local and national organisations from receiving more than Rs1 million foreign funding.

They said the bill went against the country`s international commitments and if enacted would further deteriorate the socio-economic misery of the vulnerable population and significantly shrink space for pro-democratic institutions in the country.

The speal(ers said strong civil society and stable governments were supposed to go hand in hand and if the space existed for civil society to engage, there was a greater likelihood that all rights would be better protected.

They said the closing of civil society space and threats and reprisals against civil society activists were early warning signs of instability.

The speakers said overtime, policies that de-legitimised,isolatedandrepressed people calling for different approaches or legitimately claiming their rights exacerbated frustrations and thus leading to instability.

They said the civil society of the country greatly valued the principles of transparency, accountability and considered these elements as building blocks of a democratic society.

Qamar Naseem of Blue Veins shared a legal analysis of the INGO policy and foreign contribution bill and their legal implications and compliance requirements.

He expressed concern about the `relentless vilification and targeting of civil society organisations and intimidation of human rights defenders by extremist groups and federal government officials ` He called for the positive contribution of independent, diverse and pluralistic civil society to peace, security, sustainable development and human rights.

Coordinator of Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network`s Taimur Kamal said NGOs necessarily did not need to fight with the government.

`We should work with the government and provide our input so that a win situation can be created for both,` he said.

Fata Commission of Human Rights chairman Zar Ali Khan said civil society shouldn`t give up its efforts for the people`s rights.