With a little over two weeks left till the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) meeting to review the progress made by Pakistan in countering money laundering and terrorism funding, the government can go into the meeting with confidence. A lot of ground has been covered in terms of legal amendments. The meeting was originally supposed to be held in June, but the pandemic offered us some extra time, which was utilised fully by the government.
Out of the 27 points in the action plan put forth by FATF, Pakistan had already ensured compliance on 14 by February this year. We have amended 15 more laws to adhere to the remaining 13 points. This in itself should satisfy any independent or neutral body that was looking to strengthen the financial framework to prevent terrorist facilitation and unscrupulous dealings.
Pakistan is still the only country to take the fight to the terrorists in the way we did after the APS tragedy. This struggle has moved into the second dimension in the last couple of years; by blocking financial channels, our progress has become more comprehensive. By all accounts, Pakistan’s legal set-up should not be a cause for concern for FATF or the international community any longer either. This makes us one of the only countries to comprehensively take on the scourge of terrorism without leaving any room for compromise. The ball is now in FATF’s court.
There is no doubt that India’s diplomatic weight in the past was a contributing factor to our name being included in the FATF grey list. With the eastern neighbour quickly losing all credibility on the matter of terrorism and human rights, it is hoped that political considerations are cast aside and Pakistan’s case is judged on merit. We have done exactly what was needed and it is time to move past this constant axe over our heads.
Source: https://nation.com.pk/06-Oct-2020/fatf-meeting