Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961

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THE VOLUNTARY SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES 
(REGISTRATION AND CONTROL)  
ORDINANCE, 1961 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
CONTENTS 
 
1.  Short title, extent and commencement  
2.  Definitions  
3.  Prohibition against establishing or continuing an agency without registration  
4. Application for registration, etc.  
5.  Establishment and continuance agency  
6. Appeal  
7.  Conditions to be complied with by registered agencies  
8.  Amendment of the constitution of registered agency  
9.  Suspension or dissolution of governing bodies of registered agencies  
10.  Dissolution of registered agency  
11.  Voluntary dissolution of registered agency  
12.  Consequences of dissolution  
13.  Inspection of documents, etc.  
14.  Penalties and procedure  
15.  Indemnity  
16.  Power to amend Schedule  
17.  Power to exempt  
18.  Delegation of powers  
19.  Rules  
THE SCHEDULE 
 
 

 
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THE VOLUNTARY SOCIAL WELFARE AGENCIES (REGISTRATION AND 
CONTROL) ORDINANCE, 1961 
 
ORDINANCE NO.  XLVI OF 1961 
  
[2nd December, 1961]  
 
An Ordinance to provide for the registration and control of voluntary social welfare agencies. 
 
 WHEREAS it is expedient to provide for the registration and control of voluntary social 
welfare agencies, and for matters ancillary thereto; 
  
 NOW, THEREFORE, in pursuance of the Proclamation of the seventh day of  October, 1958, 
and in exercise of all powers enabling him in that behalf, the President is pleased to make and 
promulgate the following Ordinance :— 
 
 1. Short title, extent and commencement. —(1) This Ordinance may be called the 
Voluntary Social Welfare Agencies (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 1961. 
  
 (2) It extends to the whole of Pakistan. 
  
 (3) It shall come into force on such date as the 1[Provincial Government] may, by notification 
in the official Gazette, appoint in this behalf. 
 
 2. Definitions.―In this Ordinance, unless there is anything repugnant in the subject or 
context,— 
(a) “agency” means a voluntary social welfare agency, and includes any branch of 
such agency ; 
 
(b) “governing body” means the council, committee, trustees or other body, by  
whatever name called, to whom, by the constitution of the agency, its 
executive functions and the management of its affairs are entrusted ; 
 
(c) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made under section 19 ; 
 
(d) “register” means the register maintained u nder section 4, and “registered” 
shall mean registered under this Ordinance ; 
 
(e) “Registration Authority” means 1[* * * ] an officer authorized by the 
1[Provincial Government], by notification in the Official Gazette, to exercise 
all or any of the powers of the Registration Authority under this Ordinance ; 
 
(f) “voluntary social welfare a gency” means an organization, association or 
undertaking established by persons of their own free will for the purpose of 
rendering welfare services in any one or more of the fields mentioned in the 
Schedule and depending for its resources on public subscriptions, donations or 
Government aid. 
 
1Subs. and omitted by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 1), Art. 2 and Sch.  
 
 
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 3. Prohibition against establish ing or continuing an agency without registration. —No 
agency shall be established or continued except in accor dance with the provisions of this Ordinance. 
   
 4. Application for registration, etc.—(1) Any person intending to establish an agency, 1[* * 
*] shall, in the prescribed form, and on payment of the prescribed fee, ma ke an application to the 
Registration Authority, accompanied by a copy of the constitution of the agency, and such other 
documents as may be prescribed. 
  
 (2) The Registration Authority  may, on receipt of the application, make such enquiries as it 
considers necessary, and either grant the application, or, for reasons to be recorded in writing, reject 
it. 
  
 (3) If the Registration Authority grants the application, it shall issue, in the prescribed form, a 
certificate of registration to the applicant. 
  
 (4) The Registration Authority shall maintain a register, containing such particulars as may be 
prescribed, of all certificates issued under sub-section (3). 
 
 5. Establishment and contin uance of agency. —(1) An agency 1[* * *] shall be established 
only after a certificate of registration has been issued under sub-section (3) of section 4. 
 
 1[*  *  *  *  *      *        *] 
 
 6. Appeal.— If the Registration Authority rejects an application for registration, the applicant 
may, within thirty days from the date of the order of the Registration Authority, prefer an appeal to 
the 2[Provincial Government], and the order passed by the 2[Provincial Government] shall be final 
and given effect to by the Registration Authority. 
 
 7. Conditions to be complied with by registered agencies .—(1) Every registered agency 
shall__ 
  
(a)  maintain audited accounts in the manner laid down by the Registration 
Authority ; 
  
(b)  at such time and in such manner as ma y be prescribed, submit its Annual 
Report and audited accounts to the Registration Authority and publish the 
same for general information ; 
  
(c)  pay all moneys received by it into a separate account kept in its name at such 
bank or banks as may be approved by the Registration Authority; and 
 
(d) furnish to the Registration Authority such particulars with regard to accounts 
and other records as the Registration Authority may from time to time require. 
  
 (2) The Registration Authority, or any officer duly authorized by it in this behalf, may at all 
reasonable times inspect the books of account and other records of the agency, the securities, cash 
and other properties held by the agency, and all documents relating thereto. 
  
 
1Omitted by the Federal Laws (Revision and Declaration) Ordinance, 1981 (Act No. XXVII of 1981), s. 3 and Sch., II.  
2Subs. by the Central Adaptation Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 1), Art. 2 and Sch.  
 
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 8. Amendment of the constitution of registered agency. —(1) No amendment of the 
constitution of a registered agency shall be valid unless it has been approved by the Registration 
Authority, for which purpose a copy of the amendment shall be forwarded to the Registration 
Authority. 
  
 (2) If the Registration Authority is satisfied that any amen dment of the constitution is not 
contrary to any of the provisions of this Ordi nance or the rules made thereunder, it may, if it thinks 
fit, approve the amendment. 
  
 (3) Where the Registration Authority approves an amendment  of the constitution, it shall  
issue to the agency a copy of the amendment certified by it , which shall be conclusive evidence that 
the same is duly approved. 
 
 9. Suspension or dissolution of governing bodies of registered agencies. —(1) lf, after 
making such enquiries as it may thin k fit, the Registration Authority is satisfied that a registered 
agency has been responsible for any irregularity in respect of its funds or for any mal administration 
in the conduct of its affairs or has failed to comply with the provisions of this Ordinanc e or the rules 
made thereunder, it may, by order in writing, suspend the governing body. 
 
 (2) Where a governing body is suspended under sub -section (1), the Registration Authority 
shall appoint an administrator, or a caretaker body consisting of not more than five persons, who 
shall have all the authority and powers of the governing body under the constitution of the agency. 
  
 (3) Every order of suspension under sub -section (1) shall be placed by the Registration 
Authority before a Board, consisting of no t more than five persons, constituted by the 1[Provincial 
Government] for the purpose, which shall have the power to make such order as to the re -
instatement, or the dissolution and reconstitution, of the governing body, as it may think fit. 
  
 (4) The gov erning body against whom  an order of dissolution and re constitution is made 
under sub-section (3) may  appeal to the 1[Provincial Government], within thirty days from the date 
of such order, and the decision of the 1[Provincial Government] shall be final an d shall not be called 
in question in any Court. 
 
  10. Dissolution of registered agency .—(1) If at any time the Regis tration Authority has 
reason to believe that a registered agency is acting in contravention of its constitution, or contrary to 
any of the  provisions of this Ordinance or the rules made thereunder, or in a manner prejudicial to 
the interests of the public, it may, after giving such opportunity to the agency of being heard as it 
thinks fit, make a report thereon to the 1[Provincial Government]. 
  
 (2) The 1[Provincial Government], if satisfied after considering the report that it is necessary 
or proper to do so, may order that the agency shall stand dissolved on and from such date as may be 
specified in the order. 
   
 11. Voluntary dissolution  of registered agency. —(1) No registered agency shall be 
dissolved by the governing body or members thereof. 
  
 (2) If it is proposed to dissolve any registered agency, not less than three -fifths of its 
members may apply to the 1[Provincial Government], in  such manner as may be prescribed, for 
making order for the dissolution of such agency. 
 
1 Subs. by the Central Adaptation Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 1), Art. 2 and Sch. 
  
 
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 (3) The 1[Provincial Government], if satisfied after considering the application t hat it is 
proper to do so, may order that the agency shall stand dissolved on and from such date as may be 
specified in the order. 
 
  12. Consequences of dissolution.—(1) Where any agency is dissolved under this Ordinance, 
its registration thereunder shall  stand cancelled on and from the date the order of dissolution takes 
effect, and the 1[Provincial Government] may— 
  
(a)  order any bank or other person who holds moneys, securities or other assets on 
behalf of the agency not to part with such moneys, secu rities and assets 
without the previous permission in writing of the 1[Provincial Government] ; 
 
(b)  appoint a competent person to wind up the affairs of the agency, with power to 
institute and defend suits and other legal proceedings on behalf of the agen cy, 
and to make such orders and take such action as may appear to him to be 
necessary for the purpose ; and 
  
(c)  order any moneys, securities and assets remaining after the satisfaction of all 
debts and liabilities of the agency to be paid or transferred  to such other 
agency, having objects similar to the objects of the agency, as may be 
specified in the order. 
  
 (2) Orders made by the person appointed under clause ( b) of sub -section (1) shall, on 
application, be enforceable by any Civil Court having loc al jurisdiction in the same manner as a 
decree of such Court. 
 
 13. Inspection of documents, etc. —Any person may, on payment of the prescribed fee, 
inspect at the office of the Registration Authority any document relating to a registered agency, or 
obtain a copy of or an extract from any such document. 
  
 14. Penalties and procedure.—(1) Any person who— 
  
(a)  contravenes any of the provisions of this Ordinance, or an y rule or order made 
thereunder; or 
  
(b)  in any application for registration under this O rdinance, or in any report or 
statement submitted to the Registration Authority or published for general 
information thereunder, makes any false statement or false representation;  
 
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to six m onths, or with fine 
which may extend to two thousand rupees, or with both. 
 
 (2) Where the person committing an offence under this ordinance is a company, or other body 
corporate, or an association of person , every director, manager, secretary and other of ficer thereof 
shall, unless he proves that the offence was committed without his knowledge or consent, be deemed 
to be guilty of such offence. 
  
 
 
1 Subs. by the Central Adaptation Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 1), Art. 2 and Sch.  
 
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 (3) No Court shall take cognizance of an offence under this Ordinance except upon complaint 
in writing made by the Registration Authority, or by an officer authorized by it in this behalf. 
 
 15. Indemnity.—No suit, prosecution or other legal proceeding shall lie against any person  
for anything which is in good faith done or intended to be done under this Ordinance. 
 
 16. Power to amend Schedule .—The 1[Provincial Government] may by notification in the 
official Gazette, amend the Schedule so as to include therein or exclude therefrom  any field of social 
welfare service. 
 
  17. Power to exempt. —The 1[Provincial Government] may, by notification in the o fficial 
Gazette, exempt any agency or class of agencies from the operation of all or any of the provisions of 
this Ordinance. 
   
 18. De legation of powers. —The 1[Provincial Government ] may, by notifica tion in the 
official Gazette, delegate all or any of its powers under this Ordinance, either generally, or in respect 
of such agency or class of agencies as may be specified in the notification, to any of its officers, 1[* * 
*]. 
 
  19. Rules.—The 1[Provincial Government] may, by notification in the official Gazette, make 
rules for carrying into effect the provisions of this Ordinance. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Subs. and omitted by the Central Adaptation of Laws Order, 1964 (P. O. No. 1 of 1964), Art. 2 and Sch.  
 
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THE SCHEDULE 
 
[See Section 2 (f)] 
 
(i) Child welfare. 
 
(ii)   Youth welfare. 
 
(iii)   Women’s welfare. 
 
(iv)   Welfare of the physically and mentally handicapped. 
 
(v)     Family planning. 
 
(vi)    Recreational programmes intended to keep people away from anti-social activities. 
 
(vii)  Social education, that is, education of adults aimed at developing sense of civic 
 responsibility. 
(viii)    Welfare and rehabilitation of released prisoners. 
(ix)   Welfare of juvenile delinquents. 
(x) Welfare of the socially handicapped. 
(xi) Welfare of the beggars and destitutes. 
(xii) Welfare and rehabilitation of patients. 
(xiii) Welfare of the aged and infirm. 
(xiv) Training in social work. 
(xv) Co-ordination of social welfare agencies. 
 
 
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72204          Dated: 25-02-2025