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FATF keeps Pak on grey list, says it has shown no understanding of terror financing

Published

8 years ago

February 22, 2019

FATF keeps Pak on grey list, says it has shown no understanding of terror financing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Condemning Pulwama terror attack, terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said Pakistan has shown no understanding of funding of terrorist outfits like Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and decided to keep Pakistan on its ‘grey list’ till October.

India had made a strong push to ensure that Islamabad is not taken off the list, in the light of the Pulwama terror attack. Pakistan, however, managed to escape getting into the ‘black list’.

Earlier this week, France said they were pushing FATF to keep Pakistan on the grey list, given its non-compliance with FATF rules, but also as a move after the Pulwama attack. Pakistani officials tried hard to get off the grey list, insisting they were in compliance.

Pakistan’s inclusion on the list keeps international pressure on Pakistan to clean up its act on terror support and terror financing. It makes it harder for its government to access international markets at a time when the economy is stumbling. While there are no direct legal implications, it brings extra scrutiny from regulators and financial institutions that can chill trade and investment.

The Paris-based FATF noted that Pakistan has made only “limited progress” on curbing money laundering and terrorism financing, failing to show a proper understanding of the risks posed by JuD, LeT, JeM and others.

High alert at Mumbai Railway stations after LeT terror threat inputs

The remarks came at the FATF’s plenary meeting in Paris that was held in the backdrop of the Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed last week.

Expressing grave concern over the violent terrorist attack, the 38-member watchdog said it could not have occurred without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters.

The FATF said Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the terror financing risks posed by the terrorist groups and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis.

“Pakistan has revised its TF (terror financing) risk assessment. However, it does not demonstrate a proper understanding of the TF risks posed by Da’esh (ISIS), AL-Qaida, JuD (Jamat-ud-Dawa), FIF (Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation), LeT (Lashkar-e-Taiba), JeM (Jaish-e-Mohammad), HQN (Haqqani Network) and persons affiliated with the Taliban,” the statement said.

“Given the limited progress on action plan items … the FATF urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its action plan, particularly those with timelines of May 2019,” the FATF said in a statement.

Ensure Kashmiris are not boycotted or attacked, Supreme Court orders states

Pakistan had to demonstrate compliance on five counts by February, but there has been negligible movement by Islamabad. It needed to show sanctions were being applied in cases of money laundering and terrorism financing, demonstrate better cooperation between authorities identifying illegal money flows, and enhance support for prosecutors, among other measures, the FATF said.

As a last minute gesture, Pakistan reinstated the bans on Falah-i-Insaniyat and Jamaat-ud-Dawa, two front organisations of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. These organisations had been banned by a presidential ordinance by the former Nawaz Sharif government, but the ordinance was allowed to lapse by the Imran Khan government.

India had been pressing the FATF to put Pakistan on the blacklist and had submitted a dossier to the watchdog, making a strong case against Pakistan’s non-compliance in curbing terror funding.

Pakistan is already in the grey list and has time till October to avoid being blacklisted, technically referred to as countries under ‘high-risk and other monitored jurisdiction.’ Iran and North Korea are currently blacklisted.

In June 2018, Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and the Asia Pacific Group to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies.

Two suspected terrorists of Jaish-e-Mohammed group arrested from UP’s Deoband

To avoid being blacklisted in October this year, it had committed that “law enforcement agencies are identifying and investigating the widest range of terror funding activities and that terror funding investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities, and persons and entities acting on behalf of or at the direction of the designated persons or entities.”

India had informed the FATF that Pakistan is falling short of its commitments drastically as the proscribed terror outfits and individuals continue to act from its territory and bleed India.

China yields, UNSC statement names Jaish-e-Mohammad in condemning Pulwama attack

When Pakistan was put under the grey list last year, its all-weather friend China and Saudi Arabia, which has an observer status at the FATF, refused to shield it. India is hoping that it can ultimately build enough pressure to push for Pakistan’s blacklisting later this year. The blacklisting will prevent institutions like IMF from financially supporting Pakistan that it can ill-afford at this time.

On Thursday night, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) had strongly condemned the Pulwama attack and, signalling a clear shift, China signed off on a UNSC statement that “condemned in the strongest terms” the Pulwama terror attack and named Pakistan-based JeM for the “heinous and cowardly suicide bombing”.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Related Topics:CHINA FATF Jamaat-ud-Dawa Pakistan Pulwama attack Pulwama Terror Attack

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S Jaishankar calls Pakistan a “serial practitioner of terrorism” at UN

S Jaishankar criticised Pakistan at the UN General Assembly, referring to a “serial practitioner of terrorism” and warning against attempts to normalise terrorism.

Published

1 day ago

September 27, 2026

APNLive Desk

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar criticised Pakistan during his address to the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, saying that a “serial practitioner of terrorism” had misrepresented facts and that arguments were being made to normalise terrorism.

Jaishankar’s remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif addressed the UN General Assembly and spoke about the 2025 military confrontation between India and Pakistan.

Jaishankar’s message to Pakistan

Referring to Pakistan without naming it directly in that remark, Jaishankar said a “serial practitioner of terrorism” had misrepresented facts before the UN General Assembly.

He said arguments were being made to normalise terrorism and claim immunity from its consequences, adding that such an approach would not stand.

Jaishankar reiterated India’s position that the country would exercise its right to defend itself against terrorism.

He also said that friendship and goodwill could not coexist with terrorism and that understandings based on such circumstances would naturally be called into question.

“It is for the perpetrator of terrorism to mend its ways,” Jaishankar said.

India stresses zero tolerance on terrorism

Jaishankar described terrorism as a persistent threat to peace and called for governments involved in cross-border terrorism to be held accountable.

He also stressed that there should be no dilution in India’s zero-tolerance approach towards terrorism and particularly called for greater attention to its financial aspects.

His remarks came a day after Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif referred to the 2025 India-Pakistan military confrontation during his UN General Assembly address.

Jaishankar backs two-state solution for Palestine

During his UN address, Jaishankar also spoke about the situation in West Asia and said India was prepared to contribute to efforts addressing food and energy security amid continuing tensions and violence.

On the Palestine issue, he reiterated India’s longstanding support for a two-state solution.

Jaishankar said India was also contributing humanitarian assistance and relief efforts for the Palestinian people.

He also warned about continuing threats and pressures around the world and stressed the need for greater stability, security and predictability.

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Trump rejects Iran’s 7-day peace plan, says deal can come after US polls

US President Donald Trump rejected Iran’s seven-day proposal to end hostilities and indicated that a deal could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Published

2 days ago

September 26, 2026

APNLive Desk

US President Donald Trump has rejected Iran’s latest proposal aimed at bringing an end to the ongoing conflict, while indicating that a possible agreement could come after the US midterm elections in November.

Iran had proposed a seven-day framework under which hostilities could be brought to an end, the Strait of Hormuz could be reopened and negotiations over its nuclear programme could resume.

Iran’s seven-day proposal

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had put forward the proposal through intermediaries. Under the plan, the Strait of Hormuz would be reopened by the end of the seventh day if specified conditions were met, while broader nuclear discussions would restart.

The proposal was based largely on an earlier understanding reached between Washington and Tehran, but Iran sought to implement the latest framework much faster. The earlier arrangement had provided a longer period for negotiations.

The Strait of Hormuz is a strategically important waterway for global energy shipments, making its reopening a key element of any effort to ease the wider conflict.

Trump points to US midterm elections

Trump, speaking at the United Nations, showed no indication that he was ready to immediately resume negotiations on the terms proposed by Tehran.

He called for the economic isolation of Iran and said he believed a deal could be reached after the US midterm elections in November. Trump also said Iran was waiting to see how he performed in the midterm elections.

The remarks came as Iranian officials signalled that they remained open to diplomacy and described the UN General Assembly as an opportunity to revive negotiations.

Nuclear talks remain part of Iran proposal

Iran’s latest plan links the easing of hostilities with the resumption of negotiations over its nuclear programme.

The proposal follows the collapse of an earlier US-Iran arrangement. According to reporting on the latest proposal, the new framework is intended to compress the timeline for implementing commitments that had previously been discussed by the two sides.

For now, Trump’s remarks indicate that Washington is not accepting Tehran’s seven-day framework as presented, while Iran continues to put diplomacy and negotiations forward as part of its proposal.

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Iranian President Pezeshkian at UN says Iranians have been victims of US terrorism

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said at the UN General Assembly that Iranians had been victims of US terrorism and insisted that Iran had acted in self-defence.

Published

5 days ago

September 23, 2026

APNLive Desk

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of subjecting Iranians to what he described as terrorism while addressing the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.

Pezeshkian said Iran had defended itself against attacks and rejected the characterisation of the country as a terrorist actor. His remarks came during a rare wartime appearance at the UN as tensions between Iran and the United States remain high.

Pezeshkian accuses US and Israel of attacks

Speaking at the General Assembly, Pezeshkian said Iranian civilians had been targeted by attacks and described the actions against his country as aggression.

“We have only defended ourselves. We are not terrorists,” he said, according to the report.

Pezeshkian also accused the United States and Israel of attacking Iran, while maintaining that Tehran’s response was an act of self-defence.

The Iranian president displayed photographs of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and more than 150 schoolchildren who, according to his account, were killed during the early days of the conflict.

Iran’s message at the UN

Pezeshkian’s address came against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Iran and the United States and heightened tensions in the region.

Iranian officials had indicated ahead of the UN visit that they intended to highlight what Tehran considers attacks against its people and raise concerns over the international response to the conflict.

The Iranian delegation’s visit to New York also comes amid restrictions imposed by the United States on the delegation’s movement and other aspects of its stay, according to reporting ahead of the address.

Pezeshkian says Iran defended itself

Pezeshkian’s central message at the UN was that Iran’s military actions should be viewed as a response to attacks rather than terrorism.

His description of the conflict and the allegations against the United States and Israel represent the Iranian government’s position. They should therefore be attributed to Pezeshkian rather than presented as independently established facts.