ISLAMABAD – The Government of Pakistan Friday expressed deep concern overIndian Finance Minister’s statement about India’s intention to havePakistan downgraded on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list.
The statement re-confirms Pakistan’s longstanding concerns that thistechnical forum was being politicized by India against Pakistan, said astatement issued here by the Foreign Office.The Foreign Office said that India has made several efforts in the past aswell to politicize the proceedings at FATF.
Prior to the FATF plenary meeting in February 2019, India circulated itsown assessment of Pakistan’s progress and solicited immediate support for“blacklisting” Pakistan. On several previous occasions, calculated leakswere made to the Indian media about the proceedings of FATF, which arestrictly confidential, it said.
These instances of politicization by India were brought to the attention ofthe FATF President by the Finance Minister of Pakistan.
India’s attempts to politicize the proceedings in FATF against Pakistancall into question its credentials for co-chairing and being a member ofthe Asia Pacific Joint Group that reviews the progress made by Pakistan toimplement the FATF Action Plan, it said.
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The Foreign Office statement said Pakistan remains committed to fullyimplementing the FATF Action Plan.
This commitment has been made at the highest political level. However, FATFmust ensure that the process remains fair, unbiased and firmly grounded inthe technical criteria of the forum, it said.
