Pakistan continues to remain in 'Grey List' of FATF, says FATF president Marcus Pleyer

Photo courtesy: Reuters

New Delhi: Pakistan continues to remain on Financial Action Task Force or FATF's grey list even as it is still to implement its action plan. The country has to work towards complete implementations till the next FATF plenary meet that will take place in which will take place from 17th to 22nd October.

It is now 3 years since Islamabad has been on the anti-terror financing body's grey list. Being on the grey list is a signal that money in the country is being used for financing terrorism. This impacts foreign investment flow in the country impacting the economy. Pakistan was put on the FATF grey list in June 2018.

According to estimates by the Pakistani govt, Greylisting of Pakistan at FATF is causing damage of around $10 billion annually to the country. The country hosts one of the largest numbers of UN Listed international terrorist with Islamabad reaching out to the United Nations security council to get pensions for some. Being on the UN terror list means Assets Freeze, Travel Ban and Arms Embargo.

Over the course of several months, the country has approved a number of legislations on Counter Terror Financing(CTF) and Anti Money Laundering(AML) as part of its commitments to FATF. An on-site visit by the FATF team will happen as part of the process to see Pakistan's action to combat the issue of financing terrorism.