Govt prepares robust strategy for FATF meeting in Paris

Pakistani delegation to attend meeting from February 17-22

ISLAMABAD: The government has prepared a robust strategy for the upcoming Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting in Paris to curb money laundering and terror financing guidelines.

Islamabad has devised legislation and measures to be implemented for fulfilling the financial task force's conditions, sources privy to the matter told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

The meeting will be held from February 17-22 in Paris.

Under the supervision of Pakistan's Secretary Finance, a delegation will be sent for the meeting.



It is also believed that Director General of Counter Terrorism Ahmed Farooq will also be a part of the Pakistani delegation.

The committee also comprises the Ministry of Interior and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) officials.

Two days ago during an inter-ministries meeting at the NACTA office, a strategy was finalised in this regard, said the sources.

The government will put forward the measures Pakistan wants to adopt to the FATF.

The Asia-Pacific group will also present the report of previous meeting held in Sydney.

Last month, Pakistan attended the review group meetings of the FATF, held in Australia from January 8 to 10. The review group discussed progress in four key areas – Terrorism Financing Risk Assessment report, Customs department report on cash couriers, implementation of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and inter-agency coordination.



During the review group’s meetings, India once again tried to use the platform to forward its foreign policy agenda and pressed Pakistan to divulge details about actions it has taken against half a dozen proscribed organisations and individuals that it sees as threats.

The Indian delegation tried to corner Pakistan on the issues of Jamat-ud-Dawa (JuD), Falah-e-Insaaniyat Foundation (FIF), Lashkar-e-Taiba, and Jaish-e-Mohammed during a Joint Review Group meeting of the FATF, according to sources who attended these meetings. The Indians also tried to probe about the steps taken by Pakistan against Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, they added.

Because of the Indian delegation probing, Pakistan faced a tough time but the delegation did not respond to specific questions about individual entities, the sources said.

In the upcoming meeting, Pakistan expects that it will be able to clear the first review but the future reviews could be more challenging.

The law enforcement agencies, State Bank of Pakistan and Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan would now have to show tangible results for the May 2019 and September 2019 FATF reviews.

Pakistan will still have to show concrete actions such as convictions in the terrorism financing cases.