PAK’S FATF BLUES FAR FROM OVER
LIKELY TO REMAIN ON FATF GREY LIST BEYOND FEB 2020
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan is likely to remain on the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for a longer period - perhaps beyond February 2020 - as it may be given yet another action plan for implementation on the basis of a recently approved Mutual Evaluation Report (MER), economic affairs minister Hammad Azhar told parliament on Thursday.
Azhar told the parliamentary committee on finance and revenue that as a result of the MER from the Asia Pacific Group (APG) - a regional terror financing watchdog along the lines of the FATF - Islamabad was initially under observation till October 2020. But, he cautioned, “If we do not fully implement the APG’s recommendations by October next year, a new action plan of one to three years can be given to Pakistan.”
GOVT TO ‘AZADI MARCH’ PROTESTERS: LET’S TALK
The government on Friday told the opposition leaders, led by firebrand cleric-cum-politician Maulana Fazlur Rehman, to end their agitation, even as the protestors demanding the resignation of PM Imran Khan refused to call off their sit-in that has entered the eight day.
Dubbed as ‘Azadi March’, the massive protest led by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUI-F) leader is held to topple the Khanled government. The opposition leaders accuse Khan of “rigging” the 2018 general elections.
Defence minister Pervez Khattak, during a National Assembly session, told the opposition parties to “come to the table” to resolve differences.
SHARIF MAY GET PERMIT TO FLY OUT OF PAKISTAN
Given his critical health condition, former Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif may be given permission to fly out of the country and seek medical treatment abroad.
On Friday, his family’s lawyer approached the interior ministry seeking the removal of Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL), which would then allow him to leave the country.