Pakistan commits to work in compliance with FATF’s action plan
Two days after being added to the grey-list of countries by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), Pakistan committed to work with FATF to meet the desired objectives.
According to FATF, Pakistan has made a ‘high-level commitment’ to work with the International monitoring body and Asia/Pacific group on Money Laundering (APG) to strengthen its anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) regime.
Pakistan was added to the FATF grey list of countries that are involved in providing financial aid to terrorism and related activities during the FATF plenary in Paris on Wednesday.
The statement released by the FATF stated that Pakistan has committed to “address its strategic counter-terrorist financing related deficiencies and implement its action plan to accomplish objectives like demonstrating terrorist financing risks are properly identified, assessed, demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, demonstrating that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS).
Among other objectives include improving inter-agency coordination in combating terrorist financing, demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash counters and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency, demonstrating that law enforcement agencies are identifying and investigating the widest range of terrorist financing activity, demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office said Pakistan can be removed from the grey list if satisfactory actions are taken in this regard. “We will have to ensure the implementation of the action plan shared with FATF while we are on the grey list,” Mohammad Faisal, Foreign Office spokesperson said. “If adequate measures are taken, we can be removed from the grey list.”
Pakistan was placed on the global money laundering watchdog body’s grey list in February this year. Before that, Pakistan was on the list between 2012 and 2015. FATF is a global monitoring body that works against terrorist financing and money laundering.
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