We will hold Pakistan accountable if commitments are not fulfilled: FATF president

The global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) came hard on Pakistan on for not doing enough on terror financing. The president of the anti-terror financing group, Marshall Billingslea has said that the multilateral group will hold Islamabad accountable if the country does not fulfil its commitments. 

Replying to WION's question, is Pakistan serious on acting on terror, in briefing post the week-long FATF plenary, Billingslea said, "I have engaged in my capacity as the President of FATF. I believe when they issue high-level commitment then they well understand what they were committing too. As I have said we will hold them to it and we expect time table to be met and action plan to be fully implemented in line with FATF standards"

A high-level delegation from the govt of Pakistan attended the FATF plenary.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has said Pakistan has not demonstrated a "proper understanding" of the Terror Financing risks posed by Da’esh, AQ, JuD, FiF, LeT, JeM, HQN, and persons affiliated with the Taliban.

Pakistan was greylisted last year which means the country comes under financial jurisdiction with “structural deficiencies” in anti-money laundering (AML) and combating the financing of terrorism (CFT) or simply put-- supports financing of terror.

After being greylisted in June 2018, Pakistan had made a high-level political commitment to strengthen its AML/CFT regime.

FATF asked Pakistan to implement the 10 point action plan given by the country itself to address the "strategic deficiencies" on terror financing. It said in a release, "Given the limited progress on action plan items due in January 2019, the FATF urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its action plan, particularly those with timelines of May 2019."

The action plan calls for "demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists" by "preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets, and prohibiting access to funds and financial services".

This is significant since the UNSC 1267 designated terrorist includes a number of Pakistan based terror groups and terrorists such as 26/11 mastermind Hafiz Saeed and his organisation Jamaat-ud-Dawa and the group behind Pulwama attack last week-- Jaish e Mohammad which are given free rein in the country despite being on UN terror list. 

Islamabad will also have to make sure its financial institutions are FATF complaint. 

The president of the Paris based explained, "we do expect those high-level commitments to be honoured. We expect the fundamental systematic deficiencies to be addressed."

FATF also condemned the Pulwama terror attack. FATF President said, "we condemn the violent terrorist attacks that led to the loss of more than 40 Indian security forces in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir and we made additionally clear that the FATF will intensify its ongoing efforts."

The development comes shot in the arm for New Delhi which has been focusing on global isolation of Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pulwama attack that killed more than 40 CRPF Personnel.

Pulwama Attack: Global condemnation continues 

The United Nation Security Council (UNSC) on Thursday condemned the Pulwama terror attack and mentioned Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) in the release. The motion for the press statement was moved by United States.

UN Security Council in a Press Statement said, "The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the heinous and cowardly suicide bombing for which Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) has claimed responsibility."

WION has learnt that it contained "specific language that India had proposed via partner countries including on the naming of JeM, and bring perpetrators to justice."

Mentioning of JeM us significant since China is one of the 5 permanent members of UNSC. The other 4 are--US, Russia, UK & France. China has been blocking the listing of JeM chief Masood Azhar as an international terrorist under 1267 committee of UNSC and has blocked India's bid to list him many times citing lack of consensus. France is expected again to propose his listing.

UNSC reiterated that any acts of terrorism are "criminal and unjustifiable" regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.