'Pakistan Must Continue To Take Credible Action Against Terrorism': India Reacts To FATF Decision

MEA said due to FATF scrutiny, Pakistan was forced to take some action against terrorists, including those involved in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

India on Friday said Pakistan must continue to take credible and sustained action against terrorism and terrorist financing after the country was removed from the 'grey list' of the Financial Action Task Force. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said due to FATF scrutiny, Pakistan was forced to take some action against terrorists, including those involved in the Mumbai 26/11 attacks.

"It is in global interest that the world remains clear that Pakistan must continue to take credible, verifiable, irreversible and sustained action against terrorism and terrorist financing emanating from territories under its control," the MEA said in a statement.

"As a result of FATF scrutiny, Pakistan has been forced to take some action against well-known terrorists, including those involved in attacks against the entire international community in Mumbai on 26/11," the MEA further said.

Pakistan was placed in the grey list in 2018 for failing to keep a check on money laundering and terrorist financing. 

"We understand that Pakistan will continue to work with the Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering (APG) to further improve its Anti Money Laundering (AML) /Counter Terror Financing (CFT) system," the MEA further said.

In a statement, the FATF said there has been significant progress on part of Pakistan to combat financial terrorism and money laundering, resulting in the country being taken off from the increased monitoring mechanism or the "grey list".

The decision was taken by the FATF in its plenary held in Paris on October 20-21.

"The FATF looked into the mechanism put in place by Pakistan to combat financial terrorism and money laundering. The team went down to Pakistan and found the high level political commitment of Pakistan not only act to combat financial terrorism and money laundering but ensuring reforms and strengthen the system," FATF president T Raja Kumar, who is from Singapore, said at a press conference.

Due to it being on the grey list for over four years, cash-strapped Pakistan has faced difficulties in obtaining financial assistance from the IMF, the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and the European Union.

(With PTI inputs)