PM seeks UK’s role to remove Pakistan from FATF grey list

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has urged the United Kingdom to play role to remove the country from the grey list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF).
The premier said this while talking to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson over telephone on Monday.
Khan apprised Johnson of the progress made by Pakistan to strengthen its anti-money laundering and combating the financing of terrorism framework. He urged that FATF members must recognise Pakistan’s achievements in complying with FATF benchmarks.
He called for forging stronger partnership between Pakistan and the United Kingdom, especially in the domains of trade and investments. The Prime Minister thanked his UK counterpart for his thoughtful video message for the World Environment Day event held in Islamabad on Saturday last.
The two leaders agreed on the importance of high-level exchanges between the two countries. They exchanged views on the current trajectory of bilateral relations, the Afghan peace process, the Covid-19 Pandemic and climate change.
Imran Khan lauded Boris Johnson’s efforts in effectively combating Covid-19 pandemic in the UK. He also briefed his British counterpart on measures taken by Pakistan to tackle the Covid-19 pandemic while saving lives, securing livelihoods, and stimulating the economy. Imran Khan impressed upon the UK to revisit the decision of placing Pakistan on the Red List of travel ban countries.
Khan reiterated his country’s support for an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned peace and reconciliation process. He reiterated his long-standing stance that there is no military solution to the conflict in Afghanistan and that a negotiated political solution is the only way forward.
Underscoring the importance of a responsible withdrawal, the prime minister apprised his British counterpart of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to support the Afghan peace process, as part of a shared responsibility.
The two sides agreed to continue working together to further strengthen relations and advance the common objectives of regional and global peace and stability.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan inaugurated a mobile unit in the federal capital on Monday to facilitate the people in getting information about loans for the low-cost housing programme.
Appreciating the mobile unit initiative of the National Bank of Pakistan, the prime minister said it is the foremost priority of the government to extend every possible facilitation to the low-income groups so that they could have their own houses. He emphasised on the banks to simplify the loan procedures for houses with the aim to ensure facilitation to the people.
In partnership with NBP and Naya Pakistan Housing Authority, the mobile unit will serve as a one window for the loans being provided under the Prime Minister’s Housing Scheme.
Initially, the mobile unit will provide services in Rawalpindi, Islamabad and the adjacent areas. Later, such mobile units will be established across the country. The initiative will also help reduce burden on the banks during Covid-19 situation.
Earlier last month, Prime Minister Khan inaugurated the distribution ceremony of low-cost apartments among the citizens of Peshawar.
Addressing the participants of the ceremony, the PM said that under the project, 2,056 family apartments will be distributed among registered workers of the province through the process of balloting. The premier said his government is committed to facilitating the lower segments of society in accordance with the model of Riyasat-e-Madina, a welfare state.
“The previous governments did not pay attention to the needs of the poor masses. As against that, the PTI is the first government which is focussing on the welfare of the oppressed and neglected people through the provision of health cards and housing facilities,” the premier had said.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday launched a nationwide five-day anti-polio drive with hopes of inoculating all the children of the country and make Pakistan polio-free.
To kick off the campaign, the prime minister administered polio drops to children below five years of age at his office.
The federal government has chalked out a comprehensive national emergency programme against polio, which is being carried out across the country in joint collaboration with the provinces. The special polio campaign of varied duration is taking place in 124 districts of the country from Monday onwards.
During the drive, polio teams will administer vaccine drops to over 33 million children under five years of age. The provincial health departments have appealed to the parents to get their children vaccinated against the polio virus. – TLTP