New Delhi: Pakistan has failed to act with serious intent against terrorism, said top diplomats on the country’s blacklisting by the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) Asia-Pacific Group (APG).
The global watchdog for terror-financing and money laundering on Friday placed Pakistan on the Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List (Blacklist) following its failure to meet its compliance parameters. The APG found Pakistan “not doing enough to stop terror funding” in the country.
At its Friday meeting in Canberra, Australia, the APG found Pakistan to be non-compliant on 32 of the 40 compliance parameters related to terror financing and money laundering, officials said. On 11 effectiveness parameters, it was adjudged as low as 10.
Security experts feel the blacklisting might only be the first step towards Pakistan getting the stick from larger international agencies.
“There will be greater scrutiny on all international financial transactions in Pakistan. It discourages foreign investors from entering Pakistan because transactions will be much more in scrutiny. Furthermore, it could become difficult for Pakistan to go to the International Monetary Fund for funding and the country’s financial crisis might worsen,” said former GoC-in-C of Indian Army’s Northern Command Lt Gen Deependra Singh Hooda.
“While it is true that Pakistan has taken some action against terror funding after Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) founder Masood Azhar was declared a terrorist by the United Nations, the country has not acted with serious intent. International agencies are looking at the fact carefully that Pakistan failed to act on terrorism in many respects,” K.P. Fabian, former Indian ambassador to Italy, told IANS.
Dilip Sinha, India’s former permanent representative to the UN appeared more circumspect. “This is only an interim position by the APG. The final decision will be on the basis of a report that is expected in October. The final decision will be on whether to upgrade Pakistan from ‘grey’ to ‘black’ in the list by looking at the country’s compliance report. Right now, it is premature to jump to conclusions,” said Sinha.
IANS
