Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): Caretaker Prime Minister Justice (retd) Nasirul Mulk on Friday chaired a session of the high-profile National Security Committee (NSC) to discuss the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting scheduled for later this month.
The session, attended by the country’s top civilian and military leadership, was briefed by interim Finance Minister Dr Shamshad Akhtar about preparations for the next FATF meeting; he informed the NSC about the legal and administrative measures of the FATF.
According to well-placed sources, the NSC expressed satisfaction at Pakistan’s preparations for the next FATF meeting and resolved to do what is needed to cooperate with the anti-money laundering task force.
The participants agreed that Pakistan was fulfilling its obligations at the international level, and expressed resolve to continue cooperating with global organisations to achieve mutual goals and interests.
PM Mulk also briefed the committee on his recent telephonic conversation with US Vice President Mike Pence, who contacted him on Thursday to felicitate him on assuming the PM office; Pence also discussed other matters of strategic importance.
Pakistan’s Foreign Office had confirmed that Pakistan will be placed on the grey, not the black, list of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in June this year for failing to curb terror financing.
FO Spokesperson Dr Mohammad Faisal, for the first time, officially confirmed in March that Pakistan will be assigned to the ‘grey list’ in June, once an Action Plan has been mutually negotiated.
“The statement that Pakistan will be transferred from the ‘grey’ to the ‘black’ list in June this year, is therefore not true. The FATF website clearly demarcates the countries in ‘black’ list, as those who are non-cooperative,”Dr Faisal said.