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Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

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Save the Children’s offices in Pakistan remain closed despite reports

This news post is almost 9 years old
 

​Save the Children's offices in Pakistan stayed closed for a fifth day on Monday

The offices of Save the Children in Pakistan still remain closed the charity has said.

It had been reported the Pakistani government had reversed a decision made last week to suspend the charity from working in the country.

However, a spokesperson for Save the Children told TFN its offices had remained closed on Monday.

A photograph taken on Monday by a local photographer in Islamabad working for a news agency also showed an armed police guard remained outside the children’s charity’s main office.

Save the Children’s Pakistan office was closed on Thursday, 11 June after a government official accused the UK based charity of doing something “against Pakistan's interest” – an allegation the charity strongly denied.

In a statement a spokesperson for Save the Children said: “On June 11, Save the Children confirmed that its office in Islamabad, Pakistan, had been closed and sealed off by the Pakistani authorities.

“Save the Children was not served any notice to this effect. We strongly object to this action and are raising our serious concerns at the highest levels.

“Last year, our programs in health, education, food security and livelihoods reached more than 4 million children and their families.

“All our work is designed and delivered in close collaboration with the government ministries across the country, and aims to strengthen public service delivery systems in health, nutrition, education and child welfare.”

Save the Children has worked in Pakistan for more than 35 years and it currently has 1,200 employees, none of whom are expatriate staff, working across the country.