Setback For Imran Khan As Pakistan Continues To Remain In FATF's Grey List, Asked To Do More Against Terror-Financing

According to reports, the FATF did not allow Pakistan’s status change largely in view of its inability to substantially deliver on 6 of the 27 action points.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan. (File Photo/ AFP)

New Delhi: In yet another setback for Imran Khan-led Pakistan government on an international podium, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on Friday voted to keep the country on 'Grey List' on the backdrop of its failure to curb terror-financing and being unable to fully comply with six of the 27 points action plan handed to it. As per reports, Pakistan continues to provide safe havens to terror entities as well as UN-designated terrorists including Masood Azhar and Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi. At a media briefing, Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Anurag Srivastava said Pakistan has addressed only 21 out of 27 "action items" prescribed by the global anti-terror watchdog to contain terror financing. The FATF did not allow Pakistan’s status change largely in view of its inability to substantially deliver on 6 of the 27 action points. Pakistan was placed on the grey list in June 2018 for failing to take adequate measures against money laundering and terror financing. It was then given a 27-point action plan with a warning that failing to implement it would lead to its blacklisting. Pakistan won a three-month further extension to complete its 27-point action plan because of the coronavirus pandemic. The FATF began its three-day virtual plenary meeting on Wednesday in which it is reviewing Pakistan's performance in implementation of the action plan recommended by it to choke channels of funding to the terror groups operating from the country. When asked about the possibility of the FATF blacklisting Pakistan for failing to check terror financing, Srivastava said the global anti-terror watchdog has laid out standards and procedures for such action. Notwithstanding the coronavirus pandemic in the region, Pakistan has been resorting to unprovoked ceasefire violations along the LoC and making concerted efforts to push militants into Kashmir. MEA, in the meeting, also counted that Pakistani troops have resorted to more than 3,800 incidents of unprovoked ceasefire violations along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir this year and even supported smuggling of arms and narcotic substances, including through drones and quadcopters. Pakistani hostilities increased after India announced its decision to withdraw the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and divide the state into two union territories in August last year.