ISLAMABAD- Pakistan Foreign Minister Khwaja Asif had tweeted “Grateful tofriends who helped Pakistan in averting the FATF counter terrorism watchlist bid by US, a clear reference to Russia, and China, which SupportedPakistan.
Pakistan has been conspicuously courting Moscow in addition to its closeties with Beijing in an effort to counter its relations from the US.
Sources at Pakistan’s foreign ministry said Islamabad’s success was due tointense diplomatic efforts. “China, Turkey and Russia, all of whom are partof FATF, opposed the motion, which was jointly moved by the US and the UKagainst Pakistan,” official sources said. After failing to arrive at aconsensus, sources claimed, the global watchdog dropped its plan to tablethe motion for voting in its plenary session starting on Wednesday.
To avoid inclusion in the FATF watch list, the government had also amendedthe country’s anti-terrorism law on February 9 through a presidentialordinance in a bid to address some concerns of the FATF/APG. Thelegislation provided legal ground for action against UN-bannedorganisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba, headed by Hafiz Saeed.
“It appears that Pakistan’s recent move to ban the activities of Saeed-ledJamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) and other relatedoutfits played a vital role in helping Islamabad’s case at FATF meeting,”said Fasihur Rehman, an analyst.
Pakistani commentators also claimed that support from the Gulf nations andPakistan’s recent supply of troops to Saudi Arabia for its war on Yemenswung the issue in its favour.
“Good News! Apparently FATF failed to achieve consensus against Pakistan &matter is delayed for a while. GCC switched sides & supported Pakistan.Gen. Bajwa’s last-minute ‘troop diplomacy’ to Saudi Arabia delivered.
However, news of the FATF reprieve was received sceptically in Pakistaneven as Washington remained silent on the matter.
“This is the normal process and time span given for reprieve warning. Weall want Pakistan to come out of watch list nominations, but so far there’sno indication at all that the voting line-up will change in 3 months.Please don’t become complacent and ignore the danger,” PPP lawmaker andformer Pakistan ambassador to Washington Sherry Rehman cautioned.
The Pakistani media Had highlighted issues about the effects ofgrey-listing by FATF even though Islamabad has lived through it before inthe 2012-2015 period. With greater financial compliance across the world,they fear that Pakistan will lose the foreign investment it gets and termsof raising capital and borrowing will become more stringent and expensive.