ISLAMABAD: Pakistan, Monday, said it would bring the recent 'confession' by India to the notice of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and is considering approaching FATF president 'for an appropriate action' over Indian foreign minister's statement suggesting New Delhi's 'disagreeable role' in the grey listing of Islamabad by the global terror financing watchdog.
"Pakistan has been exposing India's duplicitous role to the international community in the past and it will also bring this recent confession by India to the notice of FATF and broader international community," a statement from Foreign Office said.
Pakistan was also considering approaching FATF president for an appropriate action in that matter, it added.
"Indian external affairs minister's statement of July 18, 2021, regarding India's disagreeable role in the grey listing of Pakistan by FATF, not only exposes its true colours but also vindicates Pakistan's longstanding stance on India's negative role in FATF," the statement said. Pakistan has always been highlighting to the international community the politicization of FATF and undermining of its processes by India, it added.
"The recent Indian statement is just further corroboration of its continued efforts to use an important technical forum for its narrow political designs against Pakistan. While Pakistan has been sincerely and constructively engaged with FATF during the implementation of the Action Plan, India has left no stone unturned in casting doubts on Pakistan's progress through disgraceful means," the FO said.
"Following the recent confession by Indian government, India's credentials for assessing Pakistan in FATF as co-chair of the Joint Group, or, for that matter, any other country, are subject to questions, which we urge FATF to look into," it added.
"Pakistan's immense progress in AML/CFT domain demonstrated through concrete, tangible and verifiable actions has been openly acknowledged by FATF. We are resolved to sustain this momentum and trajectory with the support and cooperation of our international partners. India's delusions of putting pressure on Pakistan have always remained unfulfilled and would never see the light of day," the FO maintained.
"Despite distractions including politicisation of FATF processes by certain jurisdictions, Pakistan re-affirms its commitment to bring its AML/CFT systems to international standards for its own good and also to fulfil its international obligations and commitments," it added.
Separately, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi tweeted, "Pakistan has consistently maintained that India has politicised FATF. The recent Indian statement makes clear their malintent. Manipulating an important technical forum for narrow political designs against Pakistan is disgraceful but not surprising for the Modi government."
On Sunday, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar was quoted by Indian media as saying that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government ensured that Pakistan remained on FATF's grey list.
"Due to us, Pakistan is under the lens of FATF and it was kept in the grey list- We have been successful in pressuring Pakistan and the fact that its behaviour has changed is because of pressure put by India by various measures," he said.
Last month, FATF retained Pakistan on its grey list despite the fact that Pakistan achieved full compliance on 26 of 27 FATF conditions, and issued another six-point action plan for the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
Comments
Comments are closed.