After days of ambiguity Pakistan on Wednesday confirmed that it will be on the grey list of Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering (FATF) in June but disputed claims of being put on a black list.
“At the outset I would like to state that the lead Ministry for dealing with FATF/ICRG is the Ministry of Finance. Secondly, the internal processes of FATF are confidential. Therefore, I will not be able to comment on its deliberations. 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 is therefore not true. The FATF website clearly demarcates the countries in ‘black’ list, as those who are non-cooperative,” Foreign Office spokesman Dr. Mohammed Faisal told a media briefing in Islamabad.
FATF pointed to deficiencies
The spokesman said FATF has highlighted certain deficiencies in the Anti-Money Laundering and Countering of Terrorist Financing (AML/CFT) framework of 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 [JuD/FIF]. We will take further actions for addressing any remaining deficiencies.” he added.
Envoy summoned over ‘truce violations’
Indian Deputy High Commissioner J.P. Singh was summoned to the Foreign Office over the unprovoked ceasefire violations by the Indian occupation forces along the Line of Control on February 23 and February 27, 2018 resulting in the death of two innocent civilians namely Muhammad Farooq, and Zain, a boy of 13, while injuring three others.
“Despite calls for restraint, India continues to indulge in ceasefire violations. In 2018, the Indian forces have carried out more than 400 ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and the Working Boundary, resulting in the death of 18 innocent civilians and injuries to 68 others,” the spokesman claimed.
The Forign Office also criticized the Indian Motion Pictures Producers' Association decision to uphold its ban on Pakistani artists, being caste in Indian media.
“It is unfortunate that art and cinema which bring people together by acting as cultural bridges, are being held hostage to hate and xenophobia. 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 the shamocracy it is increasingly becoming. Politicising religious and cultural activities is detrimental, most of all to India itself,” the spokesman alleged..
