Shamshad briefs NSC about FATF challenge

Caretaker Prime Minister former Justice Nasir-ul-Mulk on Friday shared with National Security Committee (NSC) the contents of his telephonic discussion with the US Vice President Mike Pence on Thursday last. A meeting of the NSC presided over by the caretaker Prime Minister was attended by Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, all three services chiefs, caretaker ministers as well as other civil and military officials. The meeting reviewed overall security situation in the country.
Minister for Finance Shamshad Akhtar gave a detailed presentation to the meeting on upcoming meeting of Financial Action Task Force in Paris and the administrative as well as legal measures taken so far by the country to meet the FATF requirements.
While reviewing various actions taken towards fulfilling country's international responsibilities towards FATF framework, the meeting expressed satisfaction over the progress made so far.
The committee directed that the progress should be shared with the FATF Secretariat in the upcoming meeting. The committee reaffirmed the commitment of the country to work with FATF and other international organizations in achieving common goals and shared objectives.
An official of Finance Ministry said that country's commitment to implement the international obligation under FATF recommendations was reflective from the measures taken after the FATF Plenary meeting in February 2018.
He said that Finance Division has also shared information with the National Assembly through a written reply in response to a question in the budget session that some specific measures have been taken to fulfill the international obligations.
The official said that specific steps included enhanced coordination between the agencies of the federal and provincial government on combating financing of terrorism (CFT) measures as well as regulatory and supervisory measures by the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) against use of the financial sector and curtailment of capacity of the entities of concern to raise funds.
He said that the control of moveable and immovable assets of the entities of concerns was taken and educational and social welfare institutions run by them were placed under the relevant departments of the provincial governments. He said that some other measures have also been taken by the government to comply with the recommendations.
Those who attended the meeting included Abdullah Hussain Haroon, Minister for Defense/Foreign Affairs, Shamshad Akhtar, Minister for Finance, Muhammad Azam Khan, Minister for Interior, Syed Ali Zafar, Minister for Law/Information, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Zubair Mahmood Hayat, Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Zafar Mahmood Abbasi, Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, National Security Advisor Lieutenant General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, Director General ISI Lieutenant General Naveed Mukhtar and senior civil and military officials.