In 2016, the then finance minister Ishaq Dar signed the MoU in Paris summit and Pakistan became an active member of the OGP.
The organization has 78 countries and over 1,000 NGOs as its members.
The basic aim of this partnership is to have an inclusive, responsive and accountable government.
In other words, members of OGP are to appreciate receiving dissent and criticism. Moreover, transparency in budget and audit reports is crucial.
Submitting a national action plain is also crucial to retain membership. The govt was to submit its plan in 2017 but given the circumstances prevailing in the country at the time, there could not be a follow up.
There were repeated reminders and warnings from the OGP but such calls have so far been ignored.
As Pakistan’s status is rendered INACTIVE, if the commitments owed to the forum are not fulfilled in one year, Pakistan’s membership could be cancelled. The govt needs to fulfill its commitments and present the action plan to the organization as soon as possible.The focal entity to update the plan is ministry of finance which needs to take the matter seriously.