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Govt confirms Pakistan will be placed on FATF terror financing watchlist in June
Ending the nearly week-long confusion over Pakistan's placement on a ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the Foreign Office confirmed on Wednesday that in June the country is set to be added to the watchlist of countries where banned militant outfits have allegedly been raising funds.
Speaking at a weekly news briefing, FO spokesman Dr Muhammad Faisal revealed that a decision to place Pakistan on the watchlist was taken at the FATF plenary held in Paris last week. He, however, ruled out the possibility that Pakistan could even be placed on the international watchdog's blacklist over a lack of compliance.
An action plan to eradicate terrorist financing is being prepared and will accordingly be shared with the international body, he said.
"Pakistan will be assigned to the ‘grey list’ in June, once an action plan has been mutually negotiated," the spokesman said, adding that Pakistan will cooperate with FATF in every possible way.
Dr Faisal said reports claiming that Pakistan will be transferred from the 'grey list' to the blacklist in June are not true as the FATF website clearly demarcates the countries in the blacklist as those which are non-cooperative with the body.
Editorial: Questions after the FATF debacle
In response to a question, the spokesman said the FATF has highlighted certain deficiencies in Pakistan's anti-money laundering and anti-terror financing regimes.
He said Pakistan has already taken steps to remove the deficiencies in these areas and cited the presidential ordinance that was quietly passed days before the FATF plenary to amend the anti-terror legislation in order to include all UN-listed individuals and groups in the national listings of proscribed outfits and persons.
"We will take further actions for addressing any remaining deficiencies," Dr Faisal said.
All matters related to FATF will be dealt with by the finance ministry, the FO spokesman said, adding that he could not comment on FATF's internal deliberations as they are confidential.
The 37-nation FATF plenary held its first meeting on Pakistan on February 20 where China, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, which was representing the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), opposed the US-led move to place Pakistan on the watchlist. But the US pushed for an unprecedented second discussion on Pakistan, held on February 22.
By then, Washington had convinced Riyadh to give up its support to Pakistan in return for a full FATF membership. This left only two – China and Turkey – in the Pakistan camp, one less than the required number of three members to stall a move.
At this stage, the Chinese informed Islamabad that they were opting out as they did not want to “lose face by supporting a move that’s doomed to fail”, an official source had told Dawn. “Pakistan appreciated the Chinese position and conveyed its gratitude to Turkey for continuing to support Islamabad against all odds,” the source added.
Pakistan was first put on the FATF grey list in 2012 but was removed in 2015, after the FATF certified that Islamabad had done enough to counter terror financing.
Now, Pakistan will have to follow the same process that it did in 2015, starting with an action plan that Islamabad is required to submit in May. If the FATF approves the action plan in June, it will make a formal announcement about placing Pakistan on the grey list. Should Islamabad fail to submit an action plan, or if the FATF does not accept it, the group can place Pakistan on its blacklist, along with North Korea and Iran.
Comments (64) Closed
Too little too late
One more chance to do the right thing!
Pakistan has to cooperate with FATF within June else it will be on BLACK list.
Need to take action against JeM
The enemy of Pakistan want to put pressure on us by making such move they can’t see that peace have finally returned to Pakistan after successful military and Intelligence operation against their proxies
Even Sri Lanka is on FATF list? What effect did that have on them? Absolutely nothing
Bad news for Pakistan
This will hit economy badly
And we believe Saudis are our friends in thick and thin.
US is bullying Pakistan for a long time. Our Governments are week, the matter should be taken over by the nation and force the government to take serious actions against whoever try to bully our nation.
thanks to Nawaz Shariff and PML north to bring the Nation to this level, thanks for the PML north supporters
Lets remember the Saudi flip flop the next time they need our support with anything. Pakistan needs to rethink its stance towards Arab Governments who are selfish and need to be dealt with in the same way they dish out.
It is due to the consiparacy of PMLN government against Pakistan by placing self interest of Sharifs ahead of the national interest.
Where is that know it all foreign minister? He had everything under control
One should understand the global financing in order to predict the ill effects on the economy concerned !
What shame for the country
What hurts more is that China stabbed us in the back
Failed foreign policy
we thank our good friends Saudi Arabia and china who tried to support till very end, but when it counted they side stepped, only turkey stood by us.
KSA is on US side. Anyway, we need to put the home in order.
very embarrassing
China cannot save each time.
These lists are meaningless for us because we don't live our lives based on others instructions!
Shame on Saudi Arabia for voting against Pakistan.
The compliance they want is to become a pseudo-sovereign country like Bangladesh.
Khawaja Asif must resign IMMEDIATELY, he needs to accept responsiblity and mishandling and lying to public. Disgusting.
Total failure of Pakistan's foreign policy. In fact it is non-existent, courtesy Nawaz Sharif's Muslim league.
Change your behaviour. This is the result of blindly following Arab culture and the same Arabs don't give a toss to Pakistan.
Pakistan has resilience to come out unscathed from this possibility
Seems like Government is quite happy on this decision
Pakistanis politician have made complete mess of our foreign policy .They are only interested in making money for themselves including Imran Khan .
well, congratulations government continue your policies and drag further down our country where developed countries will stay away from us.
UK, Saudia and Japan have just expressed renewed interest in investing in Pakistan. Chinese investment is already huge and rising. Just hold on to your nerves. US bullying is not acceptable.
And our foriegn minister Khawaja Asif misled the nation by thanking some “friendly” countries to help Pakistan from being put on this list!! What kind of shameless liars and thieves our elected ministers are??
Fire the foreign minister who tweeted absolutely irresponsible, immature and thoughtless claim.
Congratulations Khwaja asif
These Saudis have never supported Pakistan on critical times, always showing their back on us. Giving sanctuaries to our corrupt politicians and giving away peanuts for our full support on useless wars. So called friends of all seasons.
It is never late to do the right thing. The issue is that the current govt. does not has enough time to take actions now. Every one will be focused on elections.
There is no shame in rectifying the wrong policies. Time to say goodbye to Zia's Pakistan and embrace Jinnah's tolerance again.
Your government did not want to tell you.
Utter disgrace for us.
One more achievement of the current government, keep it up!
Don't feel disappointed, take it as a chance to improve. Good luck.
Dear parliment Thank you for such effective lawmaking. Yours painfully Pakistan
All fault of Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari for their slack Fiscal & Monetary policies. They were too busy taking money out of Pakistan.
Good for Pakistan. Gives them another reason to become more self reliant.
Thanks for providing the correct information to the nation.
A message to all political parties: Forget about Panama, Orange Train and other minor issues and sit down to work out a strategy to address these major issues, if you are sincere to the solidarity and security of Pakistan!
You can put us in a hundred lists and you still won't make a dent in Pakistan. Pakistan Zindabad!
Shameless
Once more bad name on Pakistan and its government.
if China wanted to stop US move it could have done easily, for him arranging support of one more other country was not difficult.it has so much clout
@Sajjad Akbar I think you are wrong the world is looking at Pakistan and corruption is rampant in all walks of life especially the politicians.......the public needs to wake up don't vote for them
Do we have will power to act to avoid listing in grey list ??
This will not impact our economy..
I still cherish the memories of those golden days of Pakistan when from Peshawar to Lahore, Quetta to Karachi and all other cities, people belonging from all religions, race, ethnicities and faith like Muslims, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, Punjabis, Pathans, Sindhis, Balochis, Sunnis, Shias, Qadianis, Parvezis, Parsis, Bohris etc used to live in the same City and same neighborhoods of Pakistan like loving and caring citizens of One Nation. They would share and enjoy the social gatherings and festivities together. Those were the days when the long prevailing spirit of unity as the " long ruled subjects of British Empire " was still prevailing and the educated and enlightened people from all ethnicities were leading in all walks of life. Then gradually once most proud and peaceful nation fallen under devilish hands of most corrupt and divisive elements who let loose the religious radicals, the worst enemies of peace and humanity since beginning. Who turned the paradise into a hell?
Apologize. ReLearn. Implement.
Or Perish.
@Sympathiser You are already in the grey list. The big question is will you make it to the black list as well? Should not be a million dollar question considering the upcoming elections when every party will have to bend over backwards to satisfy the freely roaming militants in the grab of volunteers.
@BhaRAT: Do you mean Sri Lanka is incorrigible? Why must nation be in a situation where external forces have to force it to do something for its own good? Ha call this got anything to do with a habit of depending on an external locus of control?
@BhaRAT :Consider the enemy within! Start there.
@BhaRAT: Who is your enemy? And, why?
@M. Siddique ; Try to keep up with Saudi Arabia as it changes rapidly, or be left behind!
@dost: China needs to keep an eye on its own vast priorities!
Failure of the govt.
What is right in out country?