The decision of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to keep Pakistan in its grey list till it addresses the single remaining item has raised serious doubts, question marks, and reservations over the biased approach of the global anti-terror-financing and money-laundering watchdog.
The FATF unfair composition of jury members which also comprised of biased elements especially India who continuously violate jury’s protocols by lobbying efforts and demands to “blacklist” Pakistan makes FATF a controversial body to victimize targeted and weaker economies of the world. India has been the member of FATF since 2010. Washington and New Delhi un divine nexus back in June 2018 through an orchestrated planning placed Pakistan into grey list over India’s demands which was supported by Britain and USA.
Pakistan was handed over the unjustified and discriminatory lengthy 27 demands sheet to implement it in one year to remove the so called deficiencies in money laundering laws /Combat the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) regimes.
Pakistan has done extensive legislation and amendments in various laws, though no such demands were ever made from any other country of the world.
Pakistan was fully ‘compliant’ with seven recommendations and ‘largely compliant’ with 26 others. The country was ‘partially compliant’ with seven recommendations and ‘non-compliant’ with two out of a total of 40 recommendations. All in all, Pakistan was compliant or largely compliant with FATF recommendations.
FATF decision to keep Pakistan in the Grey list despite best performance and adding another new six demands were unjustified and gross discrimination towards Pakistan.
Pakistan made sincere and exhausting efforts to fulfill and implement the 27 point action plan and government of Pakistan even took unpopular measures and devised such laws which annoyed even its own masses, despite knowing fully the fact that 27-points action plan of FATF is discriminatory in nature.
US is a major financier of the FATF and it will keep dragging Pakistan in its trap of placing it in its suspicious list with malicious intentions until and unless Afghanistan issue get resolved per USA and western powers dictated aspirations.
Pakistan effectively implemented the global FATF demands and standard across a number of areas but FATF decision to still keep Pakistan into “grey list” is a tool of diplomatic coercion by Washington to dictate its old and traditional ally into a more ‘submissive’ posture rather than a genuine attempt to alleviate international terrorist financing globally. A drastic shift in American policy post 9/11 attacks towards Pakistan is to pursue a more rigid and tougher approach against the country as Pakistan aspires to reorient its foreign policy towards China.
Pakistan economy has suffered a huge loss of more than $38 billion because of the FATF’s decision of retaining the country on its grey list.
From my perspective and analytical point of view FATF demands is a long wish list of those states who deliberately manipulated Pakistan entry into grey list to make Pakistan totally submissive for the attainment of strategic objectives of United States and India. Prejudiced decision of keeping Pakistan in its grey list despite accomplishment with a dictation to “do” more clearly indicates a direct threat to Pakistan to comply with the wish list or face the dire consequences.
Pakistani Army, security forces, intelligence agencies and country is a peace loving state who firmly believes in respecting the sovereignty of the other states.
The question arises that why New Delhi is never placed either on grey or blacklist despite India’s gross violation of human rights both in India and Indian occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IOJK) towards minorities. India revoked article 370 and removed separate status/autonomy of IOJK slapped with curfew and ban on internet facilities along with the killings of innocent Kashmiris over the triggered protests. Modi Fascist regime passed Citizen Amendment Act (CAA) to victimize and deprive its minorities from citizenship rights but USA, Britain and other western powers always play role of mute spectators encouraging terrorist RSS outfit which is sponsored by Indian government to further intensify its terrorist activities against minorities Muslims, Christians and Sikhs living in India. Doesn’t FATF law applicable on terrorist and rogue state like India who is a mastermind of terrorist activities in Pakistan & Baluchistan and is explicitly backing terrorist outfits Baluchistan liberation front, DAESH, Hizbul Ahar and TTP. Indian intelligence Agencies RAW and DIA are fanning and patronizing terrorist activities in Pakistan. RAW spy Kulbushan Jadhav was convicted by ISI in 2016 who confessed that he was involved in subversive activities in Karachi and Baluchistan. On the pressure of western powers USA, Britain and so called international human rights forums Pakistan government has promulgated the laws to compensate and release the RAW agent Kulbushan. United Nations report on terrorism has warned that a significant number of ISIS terrorists are found in Kerala and Karnataka states of India and it is proven facts that India is financing and supporting terrorism, yet FATF has not initiated any action against it. Can FATF ignore 15-year-long Indian disinformation campaign unearthed by EU Disinfo Lab?
Can world forget and undermine Pakistan sacrifices in USA waged war of terror where Pakistanis suffered 75,000 causalities and over $123 billion was lost to economy.
FATF blame Pakistan for so called state terrorism though Pakistan itself vehemently defeated terrorism, terrorist outfits, its abettors and financers being sponsored by India, Iran and Afghanistan.
USA mad at Pakistan for its failure in Afghanistan without assessing why despite 140000 NATO troops, 25,000 Afghan troops, Talibans are still dominant on foreign forces though Pakistan has provided free bases lines of ground and air communication (GLOCs/ALOCs) to united States. Pakistan even made it possible for the US to hold dialogues with Afghan Taliban at Doha, Qatar and other parts of the world. US is trying hard to scapegoat Pakistan for its failure in the rogue state of Afghanistan
FATF is a tool to coerce Pakistan to toe line US line. FATF operate at the whim of world powers only and is politically motivated. USA attempts to keep Pakistan in the FATF’s ‘grey list’ creates the doubts if the global forum is being used for political purposes to malign Pakistan’s image. Pakistan should exercise its right to drag FATF to international court of justice ICJ for its highly biased approach towards it. USA claims to be the champion of human rights but its credentials shows a gloomy picture. USA highly discriminatory and prejudiced policies create havoc and resentment among nonviolent countries of the world. USA has always victimized Pakistan due to its deficiency of trust towards the later. Time has come when Pakistan should have learnt substantial lessons from war against USSR, but ironically the respective governments knelt down to the needs of the USA, time and again hence changing the state’s narrative in one night over a single call. Pakistan should now pursue an independent foreign policy of not succumbing its sovereignty over USA dictations.
