• Experts warn unregulated street donations undermine NAP objectives
• Officials say ownership will be traced once madaris are formally registered
LAHORE: Despite the Punjab home department’s crackdown on illegal charities and the listing of 89 banned organisations, anonymous “nameless donation boxes” continue to appear on street corners, marketplaces, and outside banks across the province. Heavy chains and locks secure these boxes, but donors remain unaware of who actually collects the funds.
Experts warn that billions of rupees are being channelled through these unregulated boxes, undermining the National Action Plan’s goal of dismantling financial networks that fuel instability.
A senior home department official acknowledged that many of these boxes remain in place. He said ownership will be identified once madaris (Islamic seminaries) are officially registered with the department. “Madaris will be asked to identify their donation boxes across Punjab,” he added.
Silent routes of funding
Yawar Mehdi, former civil servant and founder of the Civil Services Legacy Guide, called on the federal and provincial governments to dismantle these anonymous networks, describing them as “silent routes” funding unrest. He warned that such hidden channels continue to bypass the law and threaten public safety.
“The blood of martyrs and the loss of thousands of lives to domestic unrest will remain a grave concern as long as these silent routes of funding stay open,” Mr Mehdi said.
He urged the prime minister to issue emergency directives to the interior ministry and all chief ministers, ordering that illegal donation boxes be brought under state supervision. Mehdi also recommended maintaining transparent records of all funds collected.
Registration key to accountability
The home department official highlighted ongoing efforts to register madaris and noted that donation boxes from registered organisations already display complete details, including the organisation’s name, registration code, and contact numbers.
Once registration is complete, the department will require seminaries to declare and identify all donation boxes, making it easier to track funds and ensure compliance with the law.
Until then, “nameless” donation boxes remain a loophole through which unregulated money continues to circulate across Punjab, raising concerns over their potential misuse.