Rules & Regulations

1 Organizational Chart

The association is organized under the following hierarchy. med advice The role of each office bearer is given.

President: Leader of the association.

General Secretary: Manager of the association. Also responsible for defining, implementing and maintaining the general framework of the association.

Treasurer(s): Manager of finance of the association.

The President will form an executive committee from the members of the association. The committee will be responsible for taking active part in discussion, assessing potential projects, evaluating current status and defining future policies. The office bearers are automatically the part of the executive committee.

2 Membership

Any person holding any nationality or a group (organization, association, NGO, …) is eligible to become a member of the association. Following rules are applied on the membership per-se:

An individual or an organization shall remain a member of the association for an indefinite period of time, unless he/she/it
- resigns through writing to either the President or the General Secretary
- is removed from membership by a vote of three-fourth of the members
The executive committee reserves the right to accept or refuse any membership without assigning any reason whatsoever.
Every member shall act to the best of his/her ability to further the objectives of the association and shall observe the regulations and bye-laws of the association made pursuant to the powers in that behalf hereinafter contained.
The members shall be entitled to vote and to take part in the deliberation carried out by the association.

3 Projects

Projects must be related to the socio-economic betterment of Pakistan, Pakistani society and/or a Pakistani national. There can be two types of projects in general:

3.1 Long-Term Projects:

These projects are of long term duration that include but not limited to supporting educational programs, such as scholarships, establishing platforms for beneficiary social works and launching projects related to health and economy, only within Pakistan.

3.2 Short-Term Projects:

These projects are of short term duration to help those in need financially. Such projects are launched subject to emergency circumstances, for example, in the case of natural disasters inside Pakistan or medical urgencies of severe nature.

4 Financial Affairs

4.1 Revenue

The general revenue comes through voluntary donations. The other means of revenues are zakats/sadka/fitr and funds generated through general calls for appeal on project basis.

4.2 Scope of Funding

The utilization of funds shall remain within Pakistan and not anywhere else whatsoever. Only exception is a medical project where the patient is seeking urgent medical assistance abroad due to lack of treatment facilities inside Pakistan. In this case, it will be truely justified through the provision of the medical report.

4.3 Methods for Fund Collection

Funds can be contributed via bank or PayPal. Up-to-date details are available on association’s website: http://www.durabledevelopment.com/appec/donations/.

4.4 Fiscal Year

The fiscal year of the association is from January 1^st to December 31^st.

4.5 Financial Statement

The treasurers shall maintain monthly financial statement of the association accounting for:

i) sums of money received and expended by the association

ii) sales and purchases by the association

iii) assets and liabilities of the association

The statement can be made available for consultation on request.

Remark: In future, the association will decide to conduct a certified audit of the fiscal year to maintain transparency.

5 Calls for Fund Raising

General calls for fund raising are launched only for short-term projects. These calls are launched generally by a member. For the projects related to financial help for medical assistance, the association imposes conditions to ensure the genuineness of the case. They are elaborated as follows:

i) The case must come through a written recommendation of a member.

ii) The case must be justified with a valid medical report that details the illness, recommendations and expected cost of treatment from a concerned physician / medical specialist.

When the above two conditions are fulfilled, the member will contact the executive committee for its approval. Once the approval is granted, the member can launch the general call for fund raising for the recommended case.

6 Office Bearers & Executive Committee

The executive committee will comprise of not less than four but not more than ten executives unless otherwise reduced or increased by three-fourth majority vote among the members.
Election Commission will be made of the executives each year.
Elections for the office bearers will be held by the Election Commission every year.
Each office bearer will be elected by the members through simple majority.
An office bearer retiring shall be eligible for re-election.
An office bearer shall step down from the post before the ending of his/her tenure period, if the he/she
- resigns by writing addressed to the President/General Secretary.
- ceases to be a member of the association.
- is found to be of unsound mind by a court of competent jurisdiction.
- is found guilty of embezzlement of association’s funds by an investigative inquiry launched by or on behalf of the executive committee
- is punished with imprisonment by a competent court.
- is removed by a three-fourth of the executive votes.
The committee may appoint replacement of an office bearer who has stepped down due to the aforesaid reasons by simple majority of the executive votes.
Whenever it shall appear to the committee to amend, extend or abridge any provision to the charter or rules & regulations of the association or amalgamate the association either wholly or partially with any other association, the office bearers shall launch a discussion among the executives, or among the members if necessary.
The office bearers shall have full control over all operations and the property of the association and shall have the following powers:
- to pay the cost, charges and expenses preliminary and incidental to the promotion, formation, establishment and registration of the association.
- to purchase, acquire or sell any property, rights or privileges as it thinks fit for the purpose of the association and in line with association’s stated objectives.
- to secure the fulfillment of any contracts, agreements or engagements entered into by the association.
- to institute, conduct, defend, compound and abandon any legal proceedings by or against the association.
- to act on behalf of the association in all matters relating to bankruptcy and insolvency.
- to determine the powers and functions of each member.
- to make and give receipts, release and other discharges for money payable to the association and for the claims and demands of the association.
- From time to time to make, vary, repeal by-laws for the regulations of the business of the association and its employees.
- to make, draw, endorse, sign, accept, negotiate and give all bills required in the business of the association.
- to sign on association’s behalf bills, receipts, acceptances, endorsements, MoUs, contracts and other formal documents.
The association may be dissolved voluntarily by the three-fourth majority votes of the members of the association.
In case of winding up the association, the surplus funds, if any, shall not be distributed to its members, but shall be handed over to some other association working under similar framework.
The members, executives and office bearers shall be indemnified against any loss or damage suffered by the association in terms of monetary value arising from their wilful actions or failure to act in their capacity.
The association shall not indulge in political or religious activities. However, the association can collect funds like Zakat, Fitr, Sadka and other means of charity capped by the religion.

Updated: Oct. 9th, 2011

Issued from the office of the General Secretary