Karachi: Pakistani scouts interested to join third Muslim International Scouts Jamhoori USA and other international events are facing immense difficulties as for first time, Pakistan Boy Scouts Association (PBSA) headquarter unjustifiably has imposed processing fee of $130 for each scout and leader. 

By doing so, PBSA centre has imposed an unannounced ban of scouts for international events. Scouts have registered their protest against this additional fee and demanded for it's immediate reversal.  According to details, money minting police of PBSA centre is discouraging youngsters to take part actively in scouting in Pakistan and abroad putting more financial burden on lockets of parents.  Pakistan Boy Scouts Association is also collecting 130 dollars in name of processing fee in addition to official registration fee for international events, especially third Muslim International Scout Jamhoori Houston. It is causing great disappointment among scouts.  According to sources, additional fee collection by National Headquarters have closed doors of international events for Pakistani Scouts.  Due to this ban, only more than 75 scouts from all over Pakistan have been able to register in 3rd World Muslim Scout Jamboree so far. When contacted in this regard, International Commissioner Mahfooz Yar Khan said that decision to collect additional processing fee was taken in managing committee meeting held on December 21, 2023 and this money will be collected in any case.  In this regard, Chief Scouts Commissioner Pakistan Sarfraz Qamar Daha was contacted and he showed extreme rudeness and said that he is not answerable to anyone and will not answer media's questions. When contacted in United States, Chief of Third World Muslim Scouts Jamboree Campori Syed Ehtesham Naqvi clarified that no additional fee was requested by Boy Scouts of America and they had nothing to do with additional fee of 130 dollars. This  Secretary Pakistan Boy Scouts Association Sindh Branch Syed Akhtar Mir has also expressed his indifference to issue of additional fee collection by National Headquarters.

Published in The Daily National Courier, March, 15 2024

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