Pakistan running to allies to avoid inclusion in FATF Black List -

Islamabad: It is believed that the inclusion of Pakistan, who is failing to stop terror funding and taking action against the terrorist organisations, in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Black List, is almost inevitable. To save itself from this inclusion in the Black List, Pakistan is running to its friends for help. Reports of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi being in contact with the Foreign Ministers of Turkey, Malaysia and Saudi Arabia, pleading for help to save Pakistan, have been published in the Pakistan media. At the same time, the foreign policies of the Imran Khan government also are being criticised in Pakistan.

Asia Pacific Group (APG), an affiliate of FATF, remarked in its report that Pakistan has fulfilled only 2 of the 40 criteria prescribed by the FATF. At the same time, APG had clarified that till the time the FATF makes the final decision, Pakistan would be placed in the Advanced Follow-up List. The APG report is claimed to be an invitation for the FATF Action. Against this background, Pakistan had planned to engage a US company in an effort to influence the FATF member countries. Pakistan was plotting to influence the US linked front to avoid the FATF action.

Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi had insisted in an interview with Pakistani media that Pakistan will not be included in the FATF Black List. But as per the information given by the press in Pakistan itself, Foreign Minister Qureshi is pleading to the allies to save Pakistan from being included in the FATF Black List. The FATF meeting is scheduled to be held between 21st and 23rd October in the French capital of Paris. Qureshi will be joining the discussion virtually, and China and Turkey are likely to vote in Pakistan’s favour. But everyone will be watching the stand adopted by Saudi, who is distraught with Pakistan.

It is being said that the inclusion in the Black List can be stopped, given the veto right held by China. Still, the sword of the Black List will continue to hang over Pakistan’s head. Moreover, indeed, Pakistan will at least continue to stay in the Grey List of the FATF. Even in this scenario, the pressures on the Pakistan economy are likely to increase further. Against this background, there is a strong resentment in the Pakistani population against the Imran Khan government, who showed them the dream of ‘Naya Pakistan’.