New Delhi: The FATF, in 2018, identified Pakistan as a country with "strategic deficiencies" in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime and asked that the shortcomings be addressed.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S Jaishankar has reportedly told a group of BJP lawmakers that it was “due to India” that Pakistan is now under the terror-funding watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
On June 25, Pakistan was retained by the FATF on the list of countries under “increased monitoring” as Islamabad failed to prosecute top leadership of the US Security Council designated terror groups.
Pakistan has also been handed over a new list of ‘six tasks’ related to money laundering and terror funding.
Since 2018, New Delhi has pointed out that despite making commitments in international fora, Pakistan establishment
has given "freedom and impunity with which the designated terrorists like Hafiz Saed and entities like Jamaat-Ud-Dawaa, Lashkar-e-Tayabba, Jaish-e-Mohammed continue to operate in Pakistan.
The FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to promote the effective implementation of legal, regulatory, and operational measures for combating money laundering, terrorist financing, and other related threats.
The FATF, in 2018, identified Pakistan as a country with "strategic deficiencies" in its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime and asked that the shortcomings be addressed.
Dr. Jaishankar was addressing a training program for BJP MPs on foreign policy matters.
Authorities in Islamabad have felt the heat.
Pak foreign ministry spokesman has said that it has been sincerely and constructively engaged with FATF during the implementation of the Action Plan, and "India has left no stone unturned in casting doubts on Pakistan’s progress".
Dr. Jaishankar had also said – “We have been successful in pressurizing Pakistan, and the fact is that Pakistan’s behavior has changed because of pressure put by India by various measures.”
Much to the embarrassment of Pakistan, FATF president Dr. Marcus Player has lately said that Pakistan was still “failing to effectively implement the global FATF standards.”
FATF insists that Pakistan should take adequate steps in the “investigation and prosecution of senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated terror groups.”
India wants Pakistan to take credible, verifiable, irreversible, and sustainable measures to address global concerns related to terrorism and terrorist financing emanating from any territory under its control.
Afghanistan withdrawing diplomats from Pakistan
Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani has directed that its ambassador from Islamabad and all senior diplomats be called back.
"The abduction of Afghan ambassador's daughter and her subsequent torture has wounded the psyche of our nation. Our national psyche has been tortured," tweeted Afghan Vice President Amrullah Saleh.
He has also stated, "This isn't the first case (in Pakistan) but the first spectacular case involving a lady.
Harassment of diplomats/local staff with integrity who reject collaboration is in the menu of Islamabad agencies".
In another message, he wrote: "Pak's diplomatic community is working hard painting and decorating a fictional image for Talibs. On the ground, however, Talibs 2.0 is nothing but an Afghan replica of IS-K & Al-Qaeda, providing bases to foreign "good & bad terrorists" The "good" LeT is their buddies in allegiance."
