FATF’s Asia-Pacific Group puts Pak under terror lens

THE COUNTRY WAS NON-COMPLIANT ON 32 OF 40 COMPLIANCE PARAMETERS RELATED TO TERROR FINANCING, MONEY LAUNDERING

NEW DELHI: The Asia Pacific Group of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global watchdog for terror financing and money laundering, has put Pakistan under closer scrutiny for its failure to curb funnelling of funds to groups responsible for scores of attacks in India, officials here said on Friday.

While putting Pakistan in an ‘Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List’, the FATF’s Asia Pacific Group also found that the country was non-compliant on 32 of 40 compliance parameters related to terror financing and money laundering, they said.

The FATF-APG meeting was held in Canberra, Australia, and the discussions, which ended Friday, lasted more than seven hours over two days.

India is a member of both the APG and the FATF consultations and was represented by a team of officials from the ministries of home, external affairs and finance.

Pakistan’s multi-ministerial team at the APG meeting was led by the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan.

“The APG has placed Pakistan in the Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List for failure to meet its standards,” an Indian official privy to developments said.

He added that it had failed to stop funding to groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM).

Actions demanding a review of Pakistan’s compliance record were pushed by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France. Despite its efforts, Pakistan could not

convince the 41-member APG plenary to upgrade it on any parameter, he said.

On 11 “effectiveness parameters” of terror financing and money laundering, Pakistan was adjudged low on 10. Pakistan now has to focus on avoiding the FATF blacklist in October, when the 15-month timeline on the FATF’s 27-point action plan ends, another official explained.

Pakistan has been under the FATF radar for its complicity towards terror groups LeT, JeM and others, he said.

It is almost certain that Pakistan will continue in its present status in the FATF ‘Grey List’ and there is every possibility that the country may further be downgraded into the FATF ‘Black List’ at its next plenary to be held in October in Paris, officials said.

Pakistan’s continuance in the ‘Grey List’ means its downgrading by the IMF, the World Bank, the ADB, the EU and also a reduction in risk rating by Moody’s, S&P and Fitch.

This will add to the financial problems of Pakistan, which is seeking aid from all possible international avenues.

During the FATF meeting, several countries voiced concern on the country’s failure to do enough to contain terror funding on its soil.

According to officials, a key point made by these countries is the absence of a proper understanding in Pakistan of “transnational risk” — risk posed to neighbouring and other nations by designated terrorist organisations based in Pakistan.

In June 2018, Pakistan was placed in the ‘Grey List’ and given a 27-point action plan by FATF.

This plan was reviewed at the last plenary in October 2018 and again in February, when it was again put into the ‘Grey List’ after India submitted new information about Pakistan-based terrorist groups.

The FATF currently has 35 members and two regional organisations - European Commission and Gulf Cooperation Council.

In the last FATF plenary held in Paris last year, it said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies.