Pakistan gets reprieve on FATF watchlist, says Asif

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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has been given a three-month reprieve by a global watchdog over a US-led motion to put the country on a terrorist financing watchlist, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said late on Tuesday.

Member states of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) have been meeting this week in Paris, where it was expected that they would decide on a US motion — backed by Britain, France and Germany — to have Pakistan added to the so-called ‘grey list’ of countries not doing enough to comply with terrorist-funding regulations.

Mr Asif tweeted that Pakistan’s “efforts have paid (off)” during a Tuesday meeting on the US-led motion, suggesting there was “no consensus for nominating Pakistan”.

He also suggested the meeting proposed a “three months pause” and asked for the Asia Pacific Group, which is part of FATF, to consider “another report in June”.

“Grateful to friends who helped,” Mr Asif added.

Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2018

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