Anti-money laundering regime: SECP issues directions to insurance companies

Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan has issued a directive to the insurance companies on the anti-money laundering regime, including the 'customer due diligence/know your customer policies' and designation of compliance officers.
The directive has been issued to address the gaps related to the threat of money laundering in the insurance industry. In order to promote the anti-money laundering practices, such directions are prescribed and implemented by regulators globally in the financial sectors. It is pertinent to mention that such regulatory directions on AML are already enforced and applicable by the SECP in the non-banking and finance sectors in Pakistan.
In the larger interest of the insurance industry for customer due diligence and to combat money laundering, it is important that the regulator and insurance industry join forces for the implementation of this directive and other future course of action on the AML. This directive is applicable to all public and private sector insurance companies.
It may be added that money laundering refers to the process of concealing the source of illegally obtained money and the methods by which money may be laundered. Many regulatory and governmental bodies have taken measures to prevent this practice and regardless of the difficulty in measurement, the amount of money laundered each year is in the billions dollars and poses a significant policy concern for governments. As the governments and international organisations undertake efforts to deter, prevent and apprehend money laundering people, financial institutions also make efforts to prevent and detect transactions involving laundered money, both as a result of government requirements and to avoid the reputation risks involved.-PR