Police, FIA agree on joint action for FATF targets

The top brass of Punjab Police and Federal Investigations Agency (FIA) decided on Tuesday to take joint action for meeting the targets set by the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for curbing crimes involving money laundering.

The officers of both departments vowed in a meeting held at the Central Police Office that facilitators of money laundering and financing of terrorists would be brought to justice.

Notorious groups of land grabbers, drug dealers and criminals will also be prosecuted under the Money Laundering Act, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Inam Ghani said on the occasion.

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He said that rooting out anti-social elements financing terrorists through illegal acquisition and transfer of funds was among the top targets of Punjab Police, for which it would continue joint operations along with the FIA and other national agencies.

He said money was obtained from illegal sources for other serious crimes, including terrorism. If the transfer of such funds is stopped, it is tantamount to breaking the backbone of terrorist groups, he added.

The IGP said that in order to curb illegal acquisition and transfer of money, action would be taken against those involved in such cases at all levels.

Punjab Police and the FIA are using all available means, including modern technology, to trace the hidden assets of criminal elements, he said. He also termed close coordination among institutions the need of the hour to root out money laundering, illicit wealth and criminal elements.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28^th, 2021.