Islamabad
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) is facing various hindrances at the governmental, administrative and social level to implementing the action plan of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The comments were made by a source privy to the content of the meetings of the counter terrorism body.
FATF, a global watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing, gave Pakistan a four-month lifeline in October 2019, urging Islamabad to fulfil its commitments by February 2020.
The government had established a special secretariat in Islamabad where stakeholders from provinces and departments inside Islamabad meet twice a month to present their actions regarding measures taken to prevent Pakistan’s addition to the blacklist.
The source stated that the government had already controlled terror financing and money laundering to a great extent while currency transactions were being carried out following the recommendations of the government.
An official told Naya Daur that there were flaws in the administrative system but the issues would soon be tackled.
He said that the counter-terrorism department had already confiscated properties and other assets of different terrorist outfits. However, he said, that people have a romantic affiliation with terror and sectarian organisations due to the Islamisation episode of General Zia. Hence, he stated, that they had to proceed with caution when implementing the action plan of the FATF.
He stated that it was the first time that the government was carrying out a crackdown on terror financing and money laundering, adding that they had done 60 percent work regarding the matter.
Elaborating on the work done by NACTA, the official stated that they had completed enough work on the effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf respectively.
Moreover, they have worked to prevent the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services as well as enforcing administrative and criminal penalties.
He added that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated persons were deprived of their resources and the ability to use the resources.
The National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) is facing various hindrances at the governmental, administrative and social level to implementing the action plan of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The comments were made by a source privy to the content of the meetings of the counter terrorism body.
FATF, a global watchdog for money laundering and terrorist financing, gave Pakistan a four-month lifeline in October 2019, urging Islamabad to fulfil its commitments by February 2020.
The government had established a special secretariat in Islamabad where stakeholders from provinces and departments inside Islamabad meet twice a month to present their actions regarding measures taken to prevent Pakistan’s addition to the blacklist.
The source stated that the government had already controlled terror financing and money laundering to a great extent while currency transactions were being carried out following the recommendations of the government.
An official told Naya Daur that there were flaws in the administrative system but the issues would soon be tackled.
He said that the counter-terrorism department had already confiscated properties and other assets of different terrorist outfits. However, he said, that people have a romantic affiliation with terror and sectarian organisations due to the Islamisation episode of General Zia. Hence, he stated, that they had to proceed with caution when implementing the action plan of the FATF.
He stated that it was the first time that the government was carrying out a crackdown on terror financing and money laundering, adding that they had done 60 percent work regarding the matter.
Elaborating on the work done by NACTA, the official stated that they had completed enough work on the effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf respectively.
Moreover, they have worked to prevent the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services as well as enforcing administrative and criminal penalties.
He added that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated persons were deprived of their resources and the ability to use the resources.