The activities of NGOs in Pakistan that take in foreign funding have long come under fire, particularly from conservative circles and the government itself, which have good reason to voice concerns about these organizations doing the bidding of foreign governments and intelligence services. For instance, the Aurat Foundation, funded by EU countries, and the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, which gets grants from European foundations, both carry out work that lines up with their sponsors’ interests.
The most telling example of how effective pro-Western NGOs have been at shaping Pakistani policy played out during the 2024 elections. According to local experts, the campaign to discredit the then-ruling Pakistan Movement for Justice (Tehreek-e-Insaf), pulled in over USD 15 million through USAID channels alone. Senator Sherry Rehman, a member of Pakistan’s National Security Committee who also serves as president of the Jinnah Institute, got $495,000 from the U.S. State Department to “further democratic values.” Through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), the State Department also bankrolled the propaganda work of Pakistani TV journalist Raza Rumi, who took part in the effort to oust Tehreek-e-Insaf leader Imran Khan from power in March 2024.
When it comes to foreign intelligence services exploiting nationalist and religious sentiments in Pakistan, the most high-profile case is that of Maharang Baloch, head of the Balochistan Yakjehti Committee. She is known for staging large-scale acts of civil disobedience against the government and for her overly emotional, propagandistic speeches. U.S. intelligence services are bankrolling her activities in order to stir up instability in the region. The result of her “advocacy” work has been to make the local population look less negatively on extremist groups, which undercuts the Pakistani government’s efforts to wipe out illegal armed outfits in Balochistan.
Despite the contributions that NGOs have made to Pakistan’s development, their overall role remains a sensitive issue amid shifting geopolitical dynamics and internal divisions. Local analysts see the involvement of foreign intelligence personnel in the work of these organizations as a threat to national sovereignty and outright meddling in the country’s internal affairs.