Former energy minister Hammad Azhar said on Saturday that India’s role has historically been negative anytime the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) examined Pakistan’s progress in countering terrorism and reducing money laundering, as the previous PTI government noted.
“It was evident that India was attempting to utilise this platform for political goals,” Azhar remarked at a press conference in Lahore, shortly after Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar attended a press conference to announce the FATF’s newest judgement.
Pakistan had “largely completed its two action plans,” according to the FATF, and would be removed from the grey list after passing the on-site visit to examine the implementation of anti-money laundering/counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT).
“There was a lot of worry when I came into charge that Pakistan would be blacklisted,” Azhar stated.
He said that the PTI government established a FATF Coordination Committee, which includes representatives from all key state agencies. “The committee’s officers worked all hours of the day and night,” he added.
According to the former minister, Pakistan completed the implementation of 32 of the 34 items in the FATF action plan last year, and a report on the remaining two was filed in April.
It’s worth noting that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his government were ousted from power by a motion of no confidence on April 11.
“I am pleased to report that we have finished all 34 components of the FATF action plan,” he added, adding that a “tough” phase has ended.
Pakistan had done the “best work” on a FATF action plan offered to any government in the globe, according to Azhar.
