WASHINGTON – The US State Department has responded over the news of thefailed US bid in The Financial Action Task Force FATF against Pakistan.
United States along with its ally Britain had co sponsored a move in TheFATF to place Pakistan on The counter terrorism watch list in order topenalise Pakistan for non acceptance of US demands in war againstterrorism.
The US State Department has dismissed the claims made by Pakistan’s ForeignMinister Khawaja Asif that it had granted the country a reprieve over awatch list vote, stating that it has yet to take a decision on the matter.
The State Department said it expected a formal decision in the comingdays.“We’re anticipating that the final decision would be made on Thursdayof this week,” a spokesperson said.
Pakistan had reportedly gathered support of at least three members of theFATF, namely China Russia and Turkey for stopping the US bid against it.
According to a recent tweet by the foreign minister, Pakistan was granted athree-month reprieve by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) after ameeting in Paris failed to reach agreement on the matter.
“No consensus for nominating Pakistan,” Asif had tweeted, adding that theforum instead proposed a three-month pause along with the submission of anew report to the body.
“Grateful to friends who helped,” he added.
To stop a FATF bid at least support of 3 permanent members is required andPakistan had claimed the support of at least three members.
FATF declined to comment, with a spokeswoman saying any formal decisionwould be made by Friday.
“The FATF plenary started today, this is the decision-making body of theFATF. The outcomes will be published on Friday,” FATF spokespersonAlexandra Wijmenga-Daniel told *Hindustan Timeslink>*.
“The final decision on that was due later this week, so I don’t want to getahead of what that final decision would be,” US State Departmentspokesperson Heather Nauert told reporters. “I don’t have just independentconfirmation that a decision was made early.”
She added: “A lot of countries have come together and they look at variousnations who we believe and those other countries believe are not doingenough to crack down on terror financing, counterterrorism and the like.
“Pakistan is one of those countries that they’re taking a close look at,and they may be making – they’ll be making an announcement sometime soon.”
Meanwhile, *The Wall Street Journal* reported on Wednesday that SaudiArabia has joined Turkey and China to block the US-led attempt this week toplace Pakistan on the international terror-financing watch list.
Saudi Arabia’s move on behalf of Pakistan came just days after Islamabadsaid it would send more than 1,000 troops to the Gulf kingdom, which hasexpanded its military posture in the region since its 2015 intervention inYemen’s civil war.
However, the officials said the US effort, which included pressure on theSaudis, raised the possibility of a fresh vote on action against Pakistanas soon as Thursday.
Saudi Arabia is a close US ally, with its crown prince, Mohammed binSalman, forming a personal bond with the family of President Donald Trump.It was Saudi Arabia’s surprise backing that secured the necessary opposingvotes to block the US.
If US lobbying is successful and the task force does end up adding Pakistanto its list of countries deemed “high risk” for doing too little to curbterror financing, banks, other lenders and international companies seekingto do business with the South Asian country could rethink financial ties,putting a damper on its already struggling economy.
The US was supported in its effort to put Pakistan on the watch list by theUK, France, Germany and other countries. The proposal was initiated by aworking group, which is responsible for making recommendations to the 35member nations and two regional groups that make up the FATF plenary. Themeeting continues through Friday.
Pakistan was supported by China and Turkey heading into the FATFworking-group meeting earlier this week. Turkey and the US are allies asmembers of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, though they are at oddswith one another over actions in Syria.
Pakistan had lobbied FATF member countries to keep it off the watch list.It also took last-minute action against the militant group Jamaat-ud-Dawa,complying with 10-year-old United Nations sanctions against the group,which the international community holds responsible for the 2008 Mumbaiattack that killed 166 people.
Earlier this month, the US tabled a motion to reintroduce Pakistan to theFATF watch-list. Pakistan had been on the FATF watchlist for years but wasremoved in 2015 following “significant progress” in meeting its demands.
FATF is an inter-governmental body established in 1989 to help combatmoney-laundering and financing for extremists. –