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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.
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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.
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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.
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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]
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Canadian High Commission asks Centre to ensure safety, security of its diplomats, staff in India
The High Commission affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients.
Amidst rising tensions between India and Canada, the Canadian High Commission on Thursday asserted that some of its diplomats have received threats on social media. It urged India to provide security for Canadian diplomats and consular officers in the country. The High Commission further revealed that it has decided to temporarily adjust its staff presence in the country.
The High Commission also affirmed that all consulates in India are open and operational and will continue to serve clients. It added that in the view of the current environment where tensions have heightened, they are taking action to ascertain the safety of their diplomats. It further underlined that Global Affairs Canada is continuously supervising the safety and security of their missions and personnel as they maintain a strict security protocol to respond to any events.
On the other hand, the Vancouver Police Department has tightened security outside India’s Consulate amid planned threats from proscribed group Sikhs for Justice after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed that Indian government agents were responsible for the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar. Const. Tania Visintin, the department’s media relations officer, noted that Vancouver police are not aware of any specific threats to Indian consular officials, but have increased police presence at the downtown Vancouver consulate.
In a shocking claim on Monday, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau claimed the country’s security agencies were investigating a link between the Indian government and the killing of Nijjar. Following this, both India and Canada have been engaged in a diplomatic standoff. Earlier on Thursday, India suspended visa services for Canadian nationals until further notice owing to operation reasons.
In a meeting that was held on the sidelines of the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly conveyed strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada, promoting secessionism and inciting violence against Indian diplomats, damaging diplomatic premises, and threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship.
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Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi claims responsibility for Sukhdool Singh’s killing in Canada
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing of terrorist Sukhdool Singh in Canada’s Winnipeg city. According to reports, in a Facebook post, Lawrence Bishnoi’s gang stated that Sukhdool Singh, aka Sukha Dunuke, had played a pivotal role in the killings of gangsters Gurlal Brar and Vicky Middkhera. They further alleged that the murders were plotted by Sukhdool Singh when he was staying abroad.
Terming Sukhdool Singh, a drug addict, Bishnoi’s gang claimed that he destroyed the lives of many people and that he was untimely punished for his sins. Lawrence Bishno’s gang also alleged that Sukhdool Singh, a member of Davinder Bambiha, also got Sandeep Nangal Ambiya, another gangster, killed. They added that it gave a stern warning to their enemies, stating they would not be able to live in peace, even if they hide in India or any other country.
The Killing of Sukhdool Singh came amid growing diplomatic tensions between India and Canada over the killing of another Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, British California. Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was wanted in India, was gunned down outside a gurdwara in June.
Meanwhile, Lawrence Bishnoi is currently behind bars in Ahmedabad in a drugs smuggling case probed by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). In addition, he is also an accused in the Punjabi singer Sidhu Moose Wala murder case.
Sukhdool Singh is reportedly an A-category gangster, who hailed from Punjab’s Moga and earlier escaped from his state to Canada. He was an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala. As far as reports are concerned, in 2017, Sukhdool Singh alias Sukha Dunuke obtained a passport and a police clearance certificate on forged documents to flee to Canada despite having seven criminal cases lodged against him.
Reports suggested that Sukhdool Singh, an aide of Khalistani terrorist Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh Dala, was killed in an inter-gang rivalry.
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May 9 violence: Former Pakistan PM Imran Khan charged with criminal conspiracy
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Former Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has been accused of masterminding the attack on army sites and encouraging the populace to mutiny, a charge that carries a possible sentence of the death penalty, a senior Punjab Police official said on Wednesday.
Following Khan’s May 9 arrest by the paramilitary Rangers in a corruption case, Pakistan saw widespread anti-government demonstrations on a large scale. Later, 70-year-old Khan was released on bond.
During the riots, several of military facilities and government structures, including the military headquarters in Rawalpindi, were destroyed or set on fire. More than 100 police and other security agency vehicles caught fire.
Khan is charged with storming the city’s Askari Tower and Lahore Corps Commander House on May 9 along with many PTI leaders and employees.
Anoosh Masood, a senior investigating officer with the Lahore police, announced at a press conference that Khan and other PTI leaders and employees have been charged with criminal conspiracy for encouraging supporters to destroy military and government facilities on May 9.
The PTI chairman was masterminding the attacks on military posts and instigating people to violence, according to the police investigation into the events of May 9 in Lahore, she claimed.
Along with violating Section 120-B, Khan and others will also be held accountable for nine more offences, including inciting riots, encouraging mutiny, and attempting to wage war against Pakistan. The police detectives and prosecutors have filed a challan for the case, which will be delivered to the Anti-Terrorism Court Lahore, Masood added.
Since August 5, 2023, Khan has been detained in the Punjab province’s Attock Jail. He was detained in connection with the Toshakhana (gifts) case, and a three-year sentence was subsequently imposed. After the higher court postponed the judgement, he was later given bail in the case. He was detained once more under the Official Secrets Act in the cypher case, nevertheless.
Khan has applied for post-arrest bail in the cypher case before the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
