Pakistan has narrowly escaped being put on the Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) 'grey list', thanks to the support of Turkey, that was the message put out by the Pakistan authorities. However it turned out to be otherwise. At Tuesday's meeting of the international watchdog Pakistan's friends Turkey, China and Saudi Arabia had helped defeat the grey listing move. However, two days later the US, which had spearheaded efforts to place this country on the watch list, succeeded in calling for a second vote, leading to a three-month reprieve, during which time Pakistan will have to work with FATF to prepare an action plan to remove the deficiencies. And after approval through consensus in a June session, implementation of the plan will commence supervised by FATF's Asia Pacific Group.
The basis of this upbraiding is the accusation that Pakistan did not take action against the entities and individuals designated as terrorists by a UN Security Council resolution, and that Jamaatud Daawa and Falah-i-Insaniat Foundation were being allowed to operate in the country, and the man behind them, Hafiz Saeed, was free to organize rallies and raise funds. A considerable body of opinion in this country holds that the US has been acting at the behest of its strategic partner, India, which blames Pakistan-based individuals and groups for its troubles in Occupied Kashmir. Cynics also point out that even if the accusation is valid, the US should not be wagging its finger at Pakistan considering that it has been fomenting Middle East unrest. But then it is not a fair world. Might is still right.
Be that as it may, there are two compelling reasons for Pakistan to act against militants of all hues. One is that they pose a threat to peace and security of this state and society. Past experience shows those with external agendas, too, tend to turn their guns inwards. In any event, the people of this country have endured too much on account of terrorism perpetrated by extremist elements. It is about time the government sincerely adopted zero tolerance against terrorism in all its forms. No militant outfit must be allowed to reinvent its identity under the guise of charitable work. Second, there is an international consensus against use of violence by non-state actors. Even Pakistan's time-tested friends are wary of coming to its support when confronted on this account in international forums. It is not without significance that although at the first meeting of FATF China and Saudi Arabia had voted against the US-led European motion to put Pakistan on the grey list, during the second vote the two countries stayed silent. Islamabad moved too late, just a few days before the FATF event, to meet its obligations, amending the anti-terrorism legislation through a presidential ordinance to include in its national list of proscribed groups and persons named in the UNSC resolution. Hopefully, after what has happened the government and our security establishment have learnt their lesson and will move quickly to do all that is necessary to ensure that the country permanently makes it to the 'white list' as with the present state of our indebtedness and economic fragility, the consequences of being put on the 'grey list' are too grim to be speculated.