ISLAMABAD/PARIS: The media reports have surfaced that Pakistan has beenplaced on the Financial Action Task Force list in Paris.
However Financial Action Task Force (FATF) spokespersonAlexander Danieladenied that Pakistan had been included in the grey-list.
A final decision will come after the meeting reviewing the matter hasconcluded. The meeting is currently underway.
Earlier it was reported that China, Turkey, Russia and Saudi Arabia haveobjected to the US move on placing Pakistan on the FATF watchlist.
Meanwhile, the Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson said that a request toinclude Pakistan in the grey-list was made earlier in January by the UnitedStates and Britain. Adding that, “Pakistan has serious concerns over themotion moved by US and UK at the Financial Action Task Force to put thecountry on the grey list.”
The reservations tabled before the FATF are those of America, thespokesperson added. He specified that Pakistan has already taken actionagainst most of the reservations, including implementing its own nationalaction plan (NAP).
The FO spokesperson further added that reports from the FATF and theInternational Cooperation Review Group (ICRG) are still awaited.
Earlier in the day, Indian media had misreported that a decision regardingincluding Pakistan in the grey-list had been made.
On 21 February, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeted that “no consensus[could be reached] for nominating Pakistan” to be added to the FATF’s listof nations that monetarily support terrorism.
Expressing gratitude at the decision, Asif said Pakistan’s efforts paid offand the convening states proposed a “three months pause” and asked for theAsia Pacific Group, which is part of FATF, to consider “another report inJune”.
“Grateful to friends who helped,” the minister added.
FATF is a global body that combats terrorist financing and moneylaundering. Pakistan has been scrambling in recent months to avoid beingadded to a list of countries deemed non-compliant with anti-moneylaundering and terrorist financing regulations by the FATF, a measure thatofficials fear could hurt its economy.