ISLAMABAD – Global watchdog for terror financing FATFlink sought moreclarifications and data from Pakistanlink actions taken againstmadrassas belonging to proscribed outfits, after Islamabad submitted areport to it detailing steps taken by the government to curb terrorismlink money laundering.
The Paris-based FATF, which kept Pakistanlink the Grey List for anextended period till February 2020, had warned in October that Islamabadwould be put on the Black List if it did not comply with the remaining 22points in a list of 27 questions.
Pakistan link areport comprising answers to 22 questions to the FATFlink December 6.
In response to the report, the FATF’s Joint Group has sent 150 questions toPakistan, seeking some clarifications, updates and most importantly actionstaken against the madrassas belonging to the proscribed outfits.
“We did receive a response from the FATFlink our compliancereport through an email in which they raised a set of 150 questions. Someof them are seeking more data, some clarifications, and most importantlyquestions related to madrassas and actions taken against them havingaffiliation with proscribed outfits,” The News quoted a top official sourceas saying.
Pakistan has been given January 8, 2020 deadline to respond to the 150questions, the official said on Saturday.
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The next FATF meeting is scheduled to be held from January 21 to 24 inBeijing where Pakistan will be given an opportunity to defend the points inthe report.
Pakistan expects another relaxation probably up to June 2020 in FAFT’supcoming plenary review meeting, as the February deadline is too short aperiod for Islamabad to comply with the remaining 22 action plans.
The FATF in its previous statement had said, “Should significant andsustainable progress not be made across the full range of its action planby the next plenary, the FATF will take action, which could include theFATF calling on its members and urging all jurisdictions to advise theirFIs (financial institutions) to give special attention to businessrelations and transactions with Pakistan”.
Earlier, the FATF had asked 27 questions pertaining to Pakistan’s effortsto stop terrorismlink.But Islamabad managed to satisfy the global watchdog over just five of them.
