Peshawar – At least a dozen non-governmental organisations have shut their offices and moved operations to Islamabad, with many others scaling back activities, as security fears mount in tribal districts and southern parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
Credible sources confirmed that NGOs leaving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have either suspended projects entirely or opted to run them at a limited scale from Peshawar. Local offices have been locked, staff laid off in large numbers, and several employees summoned to Islamabad to continue project planning from there.
The sudden withdrawal has disrupted ongoing projects in education, health, development, and women-focused initiatives. According to sources, communities in the affected districts are facing direct setbacks as essential programmes come to a halt.
Officials noted that NGOs leaving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cited not only the fragile security situation but also growing pressure and threats from unidentified groups. The uncertainty has forced many organisations to abandon field activities, worsening the development vacuum in already under-served regions.
With more organisations reportedly preparing to follow suit, concerns are rising that the exodus will severely impact welfare and development projects. For now, NGOs leaving Khyber Pakhtunkhwa mark a widening gap in social services, leaving vulnerable communities to bear the cost of insecurity.
