FO flays Indian minister’s remarks

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The Government of Pakistan Friday expressed deep concern over Indian Finance Minister’s statement about India’s intention to have Pakistan downgraded on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) list.

The statement re-confirms Pakistan’s longstanding concerns that this technical forum was being politicized by India against Pakistan, said a statement issued here by the Foreign Office.

The Foreign Office said that India has made several efforts in the past as well to politicize the proceedings at FATF.

Prior to the FATF plenary meeting in February 2019, India circulated its own assessment of Pakistan’s progress and solicited immediate support for “blacklisting” Pakistan.

On several previous occasions, calculated leaks were made to the Indian media about the proceedings of FATF, which are strictly confidential, it said.

These instances of politicization by India were brought to the attention of the FATF President by the Finance Minister of Pakistan.

India’s attempts to politicize the proceedings in FATF against Pakistan call into question its credentials for co-chairing and being a member of the Asia Pacific Joint Group that reviews the progress made by Pakistan to implement the FATF Action Plan, it said.

The Foreign Office statement said Pakistan remains committed to fully implementing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan.

This commitment has been made at the highest political level. However, FATF must ensure that the process remains fair, unbiased and firmly grounded in the technical criteria of the forum, it said.