SUMMARY of the Article “Doing Okay,” Arooj Waheed Dar, Dawn, August 21st, 2024

The article highlights the persistent challenges faced by Pakistan’s social sector, particularly in the context of high inflation, which has severely eroded the purchasing power of the poor, pushing an estimated 10 million people towards poverty. Despite the urgent need for social protection, Pakistan allocates less than one percent of its GDP to social assistance programs, leaving the vulnerable with little support. The government’s constrained fiscal space and competing priorities have led to minimal investment in social sectors. Consequently, the author argues for the need to create an enabling environment for Social Delivery Organizations (SDOs) to step in and bridge the gap. The article cites the Doing Good Index (DGI) 2024 report, which classifies Pakistan as “doing okay” in terms of the regulatory environment for philanthropy, a decline from its previous “doing better” status in 2020. The report highlights the increasing regulatory burdens on SDOs, including prolonged registration processes, difficulties in accessing foreign and local funding, and a sharp decline in the perceived transparency of government procurement processes. These regulatory challenges have been exacerbated by political agendas, particularly in the wake of the PTI foreign funding case and Pakistan’s efforts to meet FATF requirements, which have led to tighter controls on NGOs. The article calls for the removal of » Read More…