Pakistan eye washing FATF as it continues to remain epicenter of terrorism

INTERNATIONAL DESK: Pakistan is eye washing Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – global anti-money laundering watchdog by making claims of fulfilling compliance at a time when Pakistan continues to remain an epicentre of terrorism and other criminal activities, reported a Canada-based thinktank, International Forum for Rights and Security (IFFRAS).

Pakistan is desperately wanting to move out of the FATF Grey List as it would relax the international financial aid and investment channels for the country. Islamabad is putting up various ‘actions’ to showcase the pro-active attitude of the Imran Khan-led government in rescuing Pakistan, from falling into the Black List.

Echoes of “Terrorist Terrorist! Pakistan Pakistan!” have also resounded outside the office of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in France on Saturday as exiled Afghan, Uyghur and Hong Kong communities living in Paris organized a protest urging the watchdog to blacklist Pakistan.

Pakistan was on FATF’s Grey List between 2012 and 2015 as well. On February 27, 2015, during the FATF meeting in Paris, Pakistan’s name was put into the category of “Jurisdictions no longer subject to the FATF’s On-Going AML/CFT Compliance Process,” reported the thinktank.

In June 2015, India strongly raised the issue of non-compliance by Islamabad on freezing assets of LeT and its affiliates. Later, in June 2018, when Pakistan was put on the Grey List, it made a high-level political commitment to work with FATF and the Asia Pacific Group (APG).

However, Pakistan failed to submit its action plan and when the deadline expired Pakistan was again put into the Gray List. In October 2020, FATF decided that Pakistan would continue to remain in the Grey List as it has not been able to fulfil six of the 27 mandates that it was supposed to.

There came many incidents where Pakistan has not done anything to combat the brewing terrorism in the country. Lahore High Court in November 2021, acquitted LeT chief and mastermind of 2008, Mumbai terror attacks, Hafiz Saeed’s six aides in terror financing case.

In April 2021, the anti-terror court in Lahore gave nine years imprisonment to these six: Malik Zafar Iqbal; Yahya Mujahid; Nasarullah; Samiullah; Umar Bahadur and Hafiz Abdul Rehman Makki. They were charged with cases of unlawful collection of funds for use in terror activities. This move is a blatant step to prove that the so-called terror crackdowns are actually sham. (ANI)