Pakistan will be placed on FATF grey list in June: FO

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Foreign Office Spokesman Dr. Mohammad Faisal said on Wednesday that the country would be placed on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June.

Member states of the FATF were persuaded by Washington to place Pakistan back on the “grey list” of nations with inadequate terrorist financing or money laundering controls. Pakistan was on the list for three years, until 2015.

“Pakistan will be assigned to the ‘grey list’ in June, once an Action Plan has been mutually negotiated. The statement that Pakistan will be transferred from the 'grey' to the 'black' list in June this year, is therefore not true. The FATF website clearly demarcates the countries in a 'black' list, as those who are non-cooperative,” Dr. Faisal told reporters during a weekly news briefing.

According to the FO spokesperson, FATF had highlighted certain deficiencies in the Anti-Money Laundering and Counterfeiting of Terrorism Financing framework for Pakistan. 

“The Government of Pakistan, over the last few years, has taken a number of measures to address these issues, including through enactment of legislation, issuance of regulations and guidelines by SBP and SECP to the financial sector, establishment of the Financial Monitoring Unit and implementation of UNSC 1267 sanctions on the entities of concern,” said Dr Faisal, adding that Pakistan would take further action to address any remaining deficiencies.

‘India’s sham-ocracy exposed’

The spokesman spoke of the Indian Motion Pictures Producers’ Association decision to uphold the ban on Pakistani artists and how this was evidence of pervading extremism and anti-Pakistan prejudice in India. Dr. Faisal stressed that art and cinema were being held hostage to hate.

“Unfortunately this decision, following several others, including non-issuance of visas to Pakistani zaireen, refusal to allow participation of Sikhs and Katas Raj pilgrims and cancellation of sports matches underscores the growing intolerance and bias prevalent in India exposing it of the sham-ocracy it is increasingly becoming.”

‘Over 400 ceasefire violations’

The FO spokesperson told reporters that in 2018, Indian forces carried out over 400 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary, resulting in 18 civilians being martyred while 68 were injured.

He also condemned the inhumane and brutal treatment by Indian occupational forces of innocent Kashmiris, urging the international community to play its role in holding India accountable.

Dr. Faisal said India’s belligerent posture along the LoC and Working Boundary will have implications for the entire region and Pakistan would continue to give a measured and befitting response to ceasefire violations. 

“It is regrettable that India resorts to such untoward acts that are detrimental to the peace and stability of the region.”