Pakistan to remain on FATF grey list

At the FATF meeting chaired by China in Paris in February this year, Islamabad had been told that “all deadlines” had expired and if they didn’t prosecute and penalise terrorist financing by June 2020, the watchdog would take action with financial consequences.

At the Paris plenary, the FATF had expressed serious concerns over Pakistan’s failure to complete its 27-point action plan in line with the agreed timelines – which ended in September 2019.

Wednesday’s development came on a day when Pakistan expressed its disappointment over the US blocking a proposal to designate an Indian national in Afghanistan as a global terrorist.

“We are disappointed that Pakistan’s proposal to designate Venumadhav Dongara as a terrorist has been objected to,” Pakistan’s Foreign ministry said on Wednesday.

But Pakistan expressed hope that the listing requests of other three Indian nationals would be given due consideration by the UNSC 1267 Sanctions Committee in an objective and transparent manner. Sources said they would mount a diplomatic campaign, with China’s help, to convince members of the UNSC.

In Islamabad, the foreign ministry said Pakistan had proposed the designation of four Indian nationals in 2019 under the United Nations 1267 Sanctions List — namely Venumadhav Dongara, Ajoy Mistry, Gobinda Patnaik, and Angara Appaji. It alleged that these individuals were financing, sponsoring and organising terrorism inside Pakistan by providing financial, technical and material support to terrorist groups including TTP, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar and others.

As a result of travel restrictions caused by Covid-19, the FATF is meeting virtually. Germany takes over presidency of the FATF in July for a year.