UNITED NATIONS – Pakistan’s request for asset freeze exemption forindividuals listed in the UN Security Council Sanctions Regime was inaccordance with the established norms and working methods of the 15-memberbody, according to Council diplomats.
Asked about some media reports that while taking actions against bannedmilitant organizations, Pakistan had in August last year sought monetaryrelief for their leaders, these diplomats said Islamabad had in factcomplied with the The Financial Action Task Force (FATF)’s Action Plan bysubmitting requests for the asset freeze exemptions.
Reacting to media articles appearing on the eve of the FATF’s plenarymeetings, one diplomat said their aim was to spread disinformation aboutPakistan’s compliance with the UN counter-terrorism resolutions andmis-portray the exemption requests submitted last year by it to the UNSC’sSanctions Committee.
“Their design was obviously to undermine Pakistan’s state institutions andcreate an impression that Pakistan is in violation of UN Sanctions againstcertain individuals.”“The facts are entirely contrary to such assertions,” he added.
The UN Security Council resolutions, the diplomats pointed out, asked allthe member states to submit exemption requests from asset freeze of thoseindividuals, who have been listed in the UN Sanctions List. Seekingexemptions for limited funds from the Security Council was a matter ofroutine for countries, it was pointed out.
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Ever since the establishment of the UN Sanctions Regime, numerous requestsfor asset freeze exemption have been submitted by various countries whoseindividuals were listed in the Sanctions Committee, including Germany, theUnited Kingdom, Malaysia, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Canada, France, Kuwait etc.
Pakistan’s requests for asset freeze exemption were approved by all membersof the Security Council Sanctions Committee, the diplomats said. The USActing Assistant Secretary, Alice Wells, also publicly welcomed Pakistan’srequest to seek this asset freeze exemption.
The asset freeze exemption was not a financial relief for thoseindividuals, the diplomats said, pointing out that it enabled Pakistan tomonitor the flow of funds to the individuals through banking channels,ensuring that no funds were used for unauthorized purposes — a requirementof the FATF, also approved by the Security Council Sanctions Committee.There was no extraordinary or sensational element in Pakistan’s documentsfor exemptions, the diplomats said. “The language used in letters to theSecurity Council by Government of Pakistan is no plea; it is in line withdiplomatic etiquette.”
