New Delhi: France is “determined to continue combating money laundering and terror financing, and will objectively evaluate, without any concession, Pakistan’s actions” regarding Islamabad’s obligations mandated by global anti-terror watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) during the forthcoming FATF plenary meeting in Paris on February 16, French diplomatic sources told this newspaper on Friday.
This is some relief for India amid worrying reports that during the FATF’s just-concluded Asia/Pacific Group meeting at Beijing, several other global powers including the United States softened their positions on the issue of Pakistan’s compliance to anti-terror measures.
According to these reports, Islamabad has succeeded in convincing several countries that it will comply with its obligations. There is also speculation that the US is going soft on Pakistan as it needs Islamabad’s help to cut a deal with the Taliban in Afghanistan.
Pakistan is currently on the FATF “greylist” and looks confident of escaping the FATF “blacklist” with the help of its all-weather friend China and other nations like Malaysia and Turkey.
Amid mounting concerns in New Delhi, Pakistan is now also trying to get its name of the FATF’s grey list and is apparently trying to enlist American support for this. The FATF’s grey list comprises nations like Pakistan who are seen to have failed to fulfil their obligations to combat terror-financing.
French diplomatic sources told this newspaper, “France is determined to continue combating money laundering and terror financing, and will objectively evaluate, without any concession, Pakistan’s actions.”
