Islamabad
The Foreign Office has rejected the recent remarks of the Indian defence minister that Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at any time.
According to a report in Dawn, the Foreign Office issued a press release stating that the statement by the Indian defence minister lends support to Pakistan’s claims that India was attempting to politicise the FATF proceedings to ‘further its narrow, partisan objectives’.
The Foreign Office has emphasised that India’s ‘smear campaign and blatant partisanship’ called into question its credentials to be a co-chair of the Asia-Pacific Joint Group, an FATF styled regional body to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The press release also underscored the importance for FATF to ensure that the process to check Pakistan’s alleged terror financing should remain unbiased.
In a week’s time, the FATF will review Pakistan’s performance and determine whether the country should remain or move out of the grey list or be blacklisted.
The Foreign Office has rejected the recent remarks of the Indian defence minister that Pakistan could be blacklisted by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at any time.
According to a report in Dawn, the Foreign Office issued a press release stating that the statement by the Indian defence minister lends support to Pakistan’s claims that India was attempting to politicise the FATF proceedings to ‘further its narrow, partisan objectives’.
Earlier, Indian media had reported that the defence minister Rajnath Singh had said, "The FATF can [at] any time blacklist Pakistan for terror financing."
The Foreign Office has emphasised that India’s ‘smear campaign and blatant partisanship’ called into question its credentials to be a co-chair of the Asia-Pacific Joint Group, an FATF styled regional body to combat money laundering and terror financing.
The FO expressed hope that the FATF would take notice of India’s ‘continuing malicious campaign’ against Pakistan and would reject its attempts to politicise FATF proceedings.
The press release also underscored the importance for FATF to ensure that the process to check Pakistan’s alleged terror financing should remain unbiased.
In a week’s time, the FATF will review Pakistan’s performance and determine whether the country should remain or move out of the grey list or be blacklisted.