They’re officially banned, the government is forever promising to crack down on them, and they’re constantly being linked with terrorism. But for Pakistanis looking to donate to flood relief causes, the religious charities are also a popular option.
An article in today’s Sydney Morning Herald makes it pretty clear why, as locals tell the paper that even if groups like the Falah-e Insaniat Foundation (FIF) are “front groups” for terrorists, they tend to be more effective and more trustworthy than the government, which is also trying to solicit donations from them.
Pakistan’s government has been notoriously slow to react in crises, and most of the “first responders” in the flooding were members of banned Islamist charity groups like the Jamaat-ud Dawa (JuD). With tens of millions still in need, these groups are making enormous efforts while many continue to criticize the official response as sorely lacking.
Which has led many to expect that the efforts to “ban” these charities and arrest their members as terrorists is mostly about the government’s inability to solicit donations, because locals believe that much of that money would end up in the pockets of corrupt politicians. At the same time, it seems that an enormous number of Pakistanis are going to come out of the flood crisis owning these groups a debt of gratitude, and could reshape public opinion in the nation for years to come.
You just have to ask yourself, who banned those charities and on what grounds. Me think the banning of those charities is a mirror image of economic sanctions on the people of Afghanistan and Pakistan. to bring them to thier knees. But however cunning they are, God is more cunning.
I laud efforts of government that it did not divert its focus from
flood relief despite criticism; it is high time that political parties
should overcome petty issues, and stand together. The continuing
floods were devastating to the country, but the government was
committed to converting the massive challenge in an opportunity to
build a new Pakistan, Indeed it is high time that political parties
should rise above petty differences and stand together in reaching out
to the flood-affected, and to rebuild a stronger Pakistan rather
passing controversial statements and wrangling with each other. It is
about time we started taking focused decisions that have long term
results, perhaps over the course of next 15 to 20 years. Overnight
improvements are never long lasting and it is important for the right
foundations to be established.