Pakistan under pressure, must act against terror after FATF's blacklist warning: Army Chief Bipin Rawat

Image Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Saturday said that Pakistan will have to take action as there's pressure on them to curb terrorism after Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) announced that the country will remain on its grey list for the next four months, handing it a final lifeline.

Speaking to news agency ANI, General Rawat said, "There is pressure on Pakistan. They have to take action. We would like them to work towards restoring peace. To be on such a grey list is a setback for any nation."

#WATCH "There is pressure on them. They have to take action. We would like them to work towards restoring peace. To be on such a 'Grey List' is a setback for any nation," says Army Chief General Bipin Rawat on Financial Action Task Force warns Pakistan of blacklisting pic.twitter.com/43V7Y6aBr9

— ANI (@ANI) October 19, 2019

Pakistan was on Friday avoided being blacklisted by FATF and was given time till February 2020 to improve its counter-terror financing operations. The task force directed the country to take more measures for a complete elimination of terror financing and money laundering while expressing serious concerns over the lack of progress in addressing terror financing risks.

Announcing its decision, the FATF said, ''We strongly urge Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2020 otherwise should significant and sustainable progress not be made across the full range of its action plan by next Plenary, the FATF will take action."

Pakistan was placed on the grey list by FATF in June 2018 and was given 15 months to complete implementation of a 27-point action plan, failing which it be placed in the black list.

"Since June 2018, when Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) to strengthen its anti-money laundering (AML) and counter-terror financing (CTF) regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies, Pakistan has made progress towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including the recent development of its money laundering/terror financing risk assessment," the FATF added.

A Pakistani delegation led by Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar had said the meeting that the country has made positive progress in 20 out of 27 points. The FATF expressed satisfaction on the measures taken by Pakistan and its progress in various areas.

(With ANI inputs)