Prof. Aseem Prakash and (UW Political Science Graduate) Prof. Rafeel Wasif consider Pakistan's reluctance to allow many NGOs even amidst record flooding.
"Pakistan continues to grapple with unprecedented floods. By some estimates, 15 percent of the country’s population has been affected and more than 1,200 lives have been lost. Flood-related damage may run as much as $30 billion, and experts warn of food instability and disease outbreaks in the months ahead...
The government has asked the international community for support, and several countries are providing generous assistance. However, there is one important element missing in the relief effort: support from international nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). That’s because in 2010, the government instituted a ban on several international NGOs. And despite massive floods, domestic political considerations make it difficult for the government to overturn this ban and allow NGOs to deliver flood relief.
Why the crackdown? Some governments claim that international NGOs and international funding for local NGOs interfere with domestic politics. This is powerful rhetoric because countries across the world are sensitive to foreign interference in local affairs — and international NGOs tend to be based in Western countries."