Pakistan '1 Step Away' from Exiting Watchdog FATF's 'Grey List' : Sources [Post#575]

[ahsan17]

You are probably looking at some outdated World Bank data on India. The latest estimate is that India has sharply reduced extreme poverty below 3%.



https://www.brookings.edu/blog/futu.../rethinking-global-poverty-reduction-in-2019/

Pakistan on the other hand is going in the opposite direction due to anemic growth rates and food inflation. The following figures of poverty for Pakistan use a different benchmark, so the percentages are not directly comparable to Indian percentages. But the point is that poverty seems to be increasing in Pakistan, and the government's response is "we can't be bothered to measure if it is increasing or decreasing".

What has become of you? You are now employing mental gymnastics to make your points. You used to be a good debater, but now you only care scoring brownie points by using half the data that suits you, by using extreme false equivalences, by finding random economists that have been predicting doom literally for last 30 years.

1. The brookings institute data is clearly using a different poverty line than world bank.


2. The latest apples to apples figures are from world bank. If you can provide any data that compares apples to apples, go for it.
http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/PAK
http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/IND

This is the latest data available based on apples to apples comparison.

3.
These economists have been theorizing for the last 10 years, that poverty is going up. Guess what, it has went down constantly, according to world bank data. Instead of coming up with theories, find hard data that actually makes your point.

Based on last available data that compares apples to apples, India's poverty rate is orders of magnitudes worse than Pakistan. There's a reason for that. 73% of India's wealth belongs to top 1% in that country. Unemployment is worst in 40 years. It's interesting how in a country that's supposed to be advancing so far along economically, employment is actually getting worse.

On top of that, Pakistan's economy hasn't been re-based in almost 15 years, meaning it could already be anywhere from 400 billion - 450 billion already.

You may very bravely say "being on a FATF list doesn't matter", but it does matter to the poor. Lack on FDI and the consequent anemic economic growth pushes more people into poverty.

I clearly said why FATF list is useless from a moral perspective. It's also not clear how much being in grey list has cost Pakistan in economic growth. You of course want to believe its in 10s of billions of UUSD. It's also interesting to me how you and a few other Indians have taken far more interest in Pakistan's internal economics than almost anyone.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

I clearly said why FATF list is useless from a moral perspective. It's also not clear how much being in grey list has cost Pakistan in economic growth.

Completely agree with your opinions and reasons for why the FATF grey list is utterly false. It’s a game of politics in which the strategies are being replayed every few years.
As for why India or Indians are so concerned about Pakistan appearing on the grey list. Well it fits nicely into their stated narrative of isolating Pakistan. This is their best hope of that narrative bearing some fruit.

 

[Napa]

What has become of you? You are now employing mental gymnastics to make your points. You used to be a good debater, but now you only care scoring brownie points by using half the data that suits you, by using extreme false equivalences, by finding random economists that have been predicting doom literally for last 30 years.

1. The brookings institute data is clearly using a different poverty line than world bank.

I don't think you are reading my posts carefully. I know WB and Brookings use different definitions of poverty. That is why I wrote " The following figures of poverty for Pakistan use a different benchmark, so the percentages are not directly comparable to Indian percentages."

2. The latest apples to apples figures are from world bank. If you can provide any data that compares apples to apples, go for it.
http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/PAK
http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/IND

This is the latest data available based on apples to apples comparison.

You linked to outdated 2011 WB data even after I posted "You are probably looking at some outdated World Bank data on India."

As you can see from the Brookings link, India has sharply reduced poverty in the last 9 years. Brookings is quite a respected outfit and they say "The soon-to-be-largest country in the world has been reducing extreme poverty fast and the world may have underestimated India’s achievements."

It is not an apple to apple comparison as the WB data is 2011 for India and 2015 for Pakistan.

Also, quite frankly, the WB data for India is dubious. In the page you linked to, you will see it says "Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) 31.1% 2009 21.2% 2011". There is no such magic in the world that can reduce poverty by 10% in 2 years.

3. These economists have been theorizing for the last 10 years, that poverty is going up. Guess what, it has went down constantly, according to world bank data. Instead of coming up with theories, find hard data that actually makes your point.

Yes, economists often have their biases. But double digit inflation is going to push more people into poverty unless their incomes keep up, which does not happen for the poorer sections of a country in times of IMF/WB induced "restructuring".

Based on last available data that compares apples to apples, India's poverty rate is orders of magnitudes worse than Pakistan. There's a reason for that. 73% of India's wealth belongs to top 1% in that country. Unemployment is worst in 40 years. It's interesting how in a country that's supposed to be advancing so far along economically, employment is actually getting worse.

On top of that, Pakistan's economy hasn't been re-based in almost 15 years, meaning it could already be anywhere from 400 billion - 450 billion already.

Possibly Pakistan's economy is larger than thought, though it hasn't developed modern industries that need Western FDI. Anyway, the point is that even if you believe WB data, you haven't provided any data to show that "India's poverty rate is orders of magnitudes worse than Pakistan" for the present day (not dubious data from 2011).

I clearly said why FATF list is useless from a moral perspective. It's also not clear how much being in grey list has cost Pakistan in economic growth. You of course want to believe its in 10s of billions of UUSD. It's also interesting to me how you and a few other Indians have taken far more interest in Pakistan's internal economics than almost anyone.

I am not going to get into the moral question, that is a different topic. However, economic development for countries like China, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Pakistan etc. is critically dependent on their increasing trade with western economies. FATF is very bad optics for western firms considering investments in Pakistan.

 

[ahsan17]

I don't think you are reading my posts carefully. I know WB and Brookings use different definitions of poverty. That is why I wrote " The following figures of poverty for Pakistan use a different benchmark, so the percentages are not directly comparable to Indian percentages."



You linked to outdated 2011 WB data even after I posted "You are probably looking at some outdated World Bank data on India."

Because that is the latest data available that we can use to compare apples to apples. Let me flip it another way. WB has Pakistan's poverty rate around 4% using the same poverty line in 2015. I couldn't find any mention of Pakistan in the brookings report, even on any of the charts, and that's probably a good thing for Pakistan. So by your own report Pakistan is doing well, but you post opinion of an economist to suggest its getting worse in Pakistan.

As you can see from the Brookings link, India has sharply reduced poverty in the last 9 years. Brookings is quite a respected outfit and they say "The soon-to-be-largest country in the world has been reducing extreme poverty fast and the world may have underestimated India’s achievements."

You call anyone a respected outfit based on opportunism. I remember you used to call WB respected too, but I guess that's not the case anymore.

It is not an apple to apple comparison as the WB data is 2011 for India and 2015 for Pakistan.

We can fix that with the wayback machine.

https://web.archive.org/web/20180227083955/http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/PAK

2011 data for Pakistan shows a rate of 7.9% for Pakistan.

Also, quite frankly, the WB data for India is dubious. In the page you linked to, you will see it says "Poverty headcount ratio at $1.90 a day (2011 PPP) (% of population) 31.1% 2009 21.2% 2011". There is no such magic in the world that can reduce poverty by 10% in 2 years.

The economist you were quoting was saying Pakistan's poverty rate will jump by about the same amount in 2 years.

Yes, economists often have their biases. But double digit inflation is going to push more people into poverty unless their incomes keep up, which does not happen for the poorer sections of a country in times of IMF/WB induced "restructuring".

That could possibly happen, but Pakistan has been through similar cycles before in Zardari and NS eras and it didn't go south.

Possibly Pakistan's economy is larger than thought, though it hasn't developed modern industries that need Western FDI. Anyway, the point is that even if you believe WB data, you haven't provided any data to show that "India's poverty rate is orders of magnitudes worse than Pakistan" for the present day (not dubious data from 2011).

I suppose the issue is that they are using a poverty line ($1.90) that doesn't reflect cost of living in 2020. They probably need to update that, but meantime yes it will be hard to get meaningful data.

I am not going to get into the moral question, that is a different topic. However, economic development for countries like China, Malaysia, South Korea, India, Pakistan etc. is critically dependent on their increasing trade with western economies. FATF is very bad optics for western firms considering investments in Pakistan.

Yes, Pakistan government is working on whatever unreasonable requests FATF is creating for Pakistan. My initial point, which I'd like to focus on, is that there's nothing for Pakistanis to be embarassed about with respect to FATF. Some people (including yourself) earlier suggested, without using the words directly, that FATF is some objective neutral party that is just saying things the way they are. They are not such a party, they are run by certain countries that have vested interests. That's why no one should be feel bad about being in that list. It'd be sort of like Iranians feeling embarassed or bad that US is sanctioning them. There is no merit or objectivity in those sanctions.

 

[Napa]

Because that is the latest data available that we can use to compare apples to apples. Let me flip it another way. WB has Pakistan's poverty rate around 4% using the same poverty line in 2015. I couldn't find any mention of Pakistan in the brookings report, even on any of the charts, and that's probably a good thing for Pakistan. So by your own report Pakistan is doing well, but you post opinion of an economist to suggest its getting worse in Pakistan.



You call anyone a respected outfit based on opportunism. I remember you used to call WB respected too, but I guess that's not the case anymore.



We can fix that with the wayback machine.

https://web.archive.org/web/20180227083955/http://povertydata.worldbank.org/poverty/country/PAK

2011 data for Pakistan shows a rate of 7.9% for Pakistan.



The economist you were quoting was saying Pakistan's poverty rate will jump by about the same amount in 2 years.



That could possibly happen, but Pakistan has been through similar cycles before in Zardari and NS eras and it didn't go south.




I suppose the issue is that they are using a poverty line ($1.90) that doesn't reflect cost of living in 2020. They probably need to update that, but meantime yes it will be hard to get meaningful data.




Yes, Pakistan government is working on whatever unreasonable requests FATF is creating for Pakistan. My initial point, which I'd like to focus on, is that there's nothing for Pakistanis to be embarassed about with respect to FATF. Some people (including yourself) earlier suggested, without using the words directly, that FATF is some objective neutral party that is just saying things the way they are. They are not such a party, they are run by certain countries that have vested interests. That's why no one should be feel bad about being in that list. It'd be sort of like Iranians feeling embarassed or bad that US is sanctioning them. There is no merit or objectivity in those sanctions.

Citing Brookings is not really opportunism. It is quite well known.

The University of Pennsylvania's Global Go To Think Tank Index Report has named Brookings "Think Tank of the Year" and "Top Think Tank in the World" every year since 2008. The Economist describes Brookings as "perhaps America’s most prestigious think-tank".

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brookings_Institution

The question of Indian poverty is complicated. India has a significant population of tribals like Bhils, Gonds etc. who are not easily pulled out of poverty.

Your use of the wayback machine is quite ingenious. I still have a problem with WB's data for Indian poverty reducing from 31% to 21% in 2 years.

As for Iran, it is also true that their ruling elite keeps provoking the US at the cost of the common Iranian.

I think readers on this forum probably know my opinion on what ails Pakistan, and why it ends up on lists like the FATF. In fact I have been accused of repeating myself, so I will desist.

Good luck to you and hope both countries pull their poor out of poverty. Be well.

 

[Lonewarrior]

5 pages for such useless topic, certain people come here to beat around the bush, but no one can explain me how Pakistan were managed to get out twice in past .... why and how ?

 

[aukhan]

Don't know whether we will stay in grey list or not but one thing is for sure we will never improve and leave terrorism behind. Releasing Ehsan ullah Ehsan exposes all the drama our army does to gather more funds.

 

[Buffet]

Don't know whether we will stay in grey list or not but one thing is for sure we will never improve and leave terrorism behind. Releasing Ehsan ullah Ehsan exposes all the drama our army does to gather more funds.

Poor Nation, Rich Army - https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/03/21/poor-nation-rich-army/

Follow the incentive. Rich army has no incentive to leave terrorism behind and make themeslves irrelvant. How do you increase your value? Start wars, use terrorists, keep the pot boiling...

If I were in their place then I would also be reluctant to give up cushy life even though it may be built on sufferring of millions of fellow citizens. Optimistic estimate, it will take 2-3 decades for this situation to change.

 

[Local.Dada]

5 pages for such useless topic, certain people come here to beat around the bush, but no one can explain me how Pakistan were managed to get out twice in past .... why and how ?

You haven’t answered the question why does Pak
Keep managing to enter in to the list time and again for the 3rd time. Shouldn’t entering this list the first time be a cause for concern?

 

[ahsan17]

You haven’t answered the question why does Pak
Keep managing to enter in to the list time and again for the 3rd time. Shouldn’t entering this list the first time be a cause for concern?

I think we already answered that. Entry into the list is not based on neutral and objective reasoning, but rather on the direction of geopolitcial wind.

 

[Iqbal'sh]

As for Iran, it is also true that their ruling elite keeps provoking the US at the cost of the common Iranian.

I think readers on this forum probably know my opinion on what ails Pakistan, and why it ends up on lists like the FATF. In fact I have been accused of repeating myself, so I will desist.

America is one of the most dishonest nations on this planet yet you expect us to believe the above sentence as gospel? Since many posters refer to you as ‘copy and paste’ king from Google do us a favour and research the following:

•Iranian coup d’etat
•Iranian revolution
•Iran Contra affair
•Iran Iraq war
•Operation Merlin
•cyber warfare - Stuxnet
•Iranian passenger airplane shot down
•Soleimani assassination

That’s from the top of my head.

Who are the US to tell other nations about financing terror when they have covertly meddled with sovereignty of other nations since forever. Do I need to provide you a list of these? Same with Israel and many more nations (including India). How come they don’t feature on the list of nations financing terror? And by extension appear under the scope of the FATF?

We really do not require your thesis in relation to Pakistani affairs as you come across as intellectually bankrupt if not plain ignorant

 

[Bewal Express]

Don't know whether we will stay in grey list or not but one thing is for sure we will never improve and leave terrorism behind. Releasing Ehsan ullah Ehsan exposes all the drama our army does to gather more funds.

Ehsan Ullah was released as a result of a deal which allowed the ISI to find the ring leaders of gang that killed the APS kids. Look at how many have met their fate in the last 2 weeks.

 

[Abdullah719]

FATF decides to keep Pakistan on its grey list, next review in June

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided to maintain Pakistan's status on its 'grey list' of countries with inadequate control over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing until June, when the next review will take place, a statement issued by the Finance Division said on Friday.

"FATF members agreed to maintain Pakistan’s status on FATF’s Compliance Document, normally referred [to] as the Grey List," the press release issued after the conclusion of the six-day FATF plenary meeting in Paris said.

The Finance Division pointed out that during the last reporting period, Pakistan made "significant progress" in the implementation of the 27-point FATF Action Plan, which was demonstrated by the completion of nine additional action items.

"FATF reviewed progress made by Pakistan towards implementation of the Action Plan. While acknowledging the steps taken by Pakistan towards implementation of [the plan] and welcoming its high-level political commitment, FATF highlighted the need for further actions for completing the Action Plan by June 2020," the handout said.

It emphasised that the government "stands committed for taking all necessary action" in order to complete the remaining items in the action plan and that a strategy in this regard has been formulated and is being implemented.

The FATF in its statement issued after the Paris meeting said it "strongly urges" Pakistan to "swiftly complete" its full action plan by June 2020.

“Otherwise, should significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising TF (terror financing) not be made by the next Plenary, the FATF will take action,” it added.

It said such action could include calling on its members to order their financial institutions to give particularly rigorous attention to business relations and transactions with Pakistani clients.

While noting that all deadlines in Pakistan's action plan have expired, the FATF expressed concern over "Pakistan’s failure to complete its action plan in line with the agreed timelines and in light of the TF risks emanating from the jurisdiction".

The watchdog did take into account recent "notable improvements" made by Pakistan, saying the country has, to date, "largely addressed" 14 out of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action plan.

With a minimum of three votes by FATF members needed to avoid the organisation's blacklist, Pakistan has been able to avoid punishment so far thanks to support from China and other friendly countries including Malaysia and Turkey.

The watchdog will undertake the next review of Pakistan’s progress in June.

Pakistan is already finalising major amendments to at least a dozen of its laws to meet the FATF requirements by June. Targets have been set for further legislation to upgrade about 12-13 laws and subordinate legislation to complete the overall legal framework in line with the FATF standards.

Spoiler

China lauds Pakistan's efforts

Earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry had said that a majority of FATF members had recognised Pakistan's efforts to improve its counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regime at the financial watchdog's latest plenary meeting.

"It was decided at the meeting that Pakistan will be allowed more time to continue implementing its action plan," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a news briefing in Beijing.

The statement by the Chinese government came hours ahead of the FATF decision regarding Pakistan's fate on the watchdog's grey list.

Asked to comment on Indian media reports that China had changed its position at FATF to no longer support Pakistan, Geng said: "China's position on the relevant issue remains unchanged.

"China maintains that the purpose and aim of the FATF is to support countries' efforts to strengthen institutions against money laundering and terror financing and safeguard the international financing system. We stand ready to work with relevant parties to offer more assistance to Pakistan in this area."

The Chinese foreign ministry echoed similar views through a tweet, noting that "Pakistan has made enormous efforts in improving its CTF regime, which has been recognised by the majority of FATF members at the latest plenary meeting in Paris. China & other countries will continue offering assistance to Pakistan in this area."


Also on Friday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing thanked the Chinese government for "their massive support in the FATF meetings", a statement issued by the Finance Division said.

"China and other brotherly countries have supported Pakistan throughout the [FATF] process in terms of guiding the country to improve its frameworks," the press release quoted the adviser as saying.

The FATF plenary and working group meetings started in Paris, France on Monday and concluded today. A delegation headed by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar represented Pakistan at the meetings.

Placement on grey list

Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete by October 2019 or face the risk of being placed on the blacklist along with Iran and North Korea.

In October 2019, the FATF decided to keep Pakistan on its grey list till February, giving it time to implement the 27-point action plan.

The task force directed Islamabad to take more measures for complete elimination of terror financing and money laundering while expressing serious concerns over the lack of progress in addressing terror financing risks.

The FATF met again in January this year in Beijing where Pakistan provided a list of actions taken to implement the action plan.

Ahead of this week's FATF meetings, government sources on Saturday had said that both the political and security establishment felt confident about pleading Pakistan’s case on the basis of strong measures taken over the past few years while addressing the concerns raised by the FATF.

Just days ahead of the FATF verdict, a senior US diplomat also acknowledged that Islamabad had moved closer to meeting its commitments to combat terrorist financing.

Last Wednesday, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore convicted Jamaatud Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed and his aide Malik Zafar Iqbal in two terrorist financing cases and sentenced them to five-and-a-half years of imprisonment each.

The chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs Alice G. Wells called the sentence "an important step forward" towards meeting Pakistan’s commitment to combat terrorist financing.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1535808/fatf-decides-to-keep-pakistan-on-its-grey-list-next-review-in-june

 

[Ronaldo7]

To all those Indians hoping that Pakistan will be blacklisted, that will never happen.
Pakistan only needs three votes and they’ll very easily get it.

The question is when will Pakistan exit the greylist?

 

[Romali_rotti]

FATF decides to keep Pakistan on its grey list, next review in June

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided to maintain Pakistan's status on its 'grey list' of countries with inadequate control over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing until June, when the next review will take place, a statement issued by the Finance Division said on Friday.

"FATF members agreed to maintain Pakistan’s status on FATF’s Compliance Document, normally referred [to] as the Grey List," the press release issued after the conclusion of the six-day FATF plenary meeting in Paris said.

The Finance Division pointed out that during the last reporting period, Pakistan made "significant progress" in the implementation of the 27-point FATF Action Plan, which was demonstrated by the completion of nine additional action items.

"FATF reviewed progress made by Pakistan towards implementation of the Action Plan. While acknowledging the steps taken by Pakistan towards implementation of [the plan] and welcoming its high-level political commitment, FATF highlighted the need for further actions for completing the Action Plan by June 2020," the handout said.

It emphasised that the government "stands committed for taking all necessary action" in order to complete the remaining items in the action plan and that a strategy in this regard has been formulated and is being implemented.

The FATF in its statement issued after the Paris meeting said it "strongly urges" Pakistan to "swiftly complete" its full action plan by June 2020.

“Otherwise, should significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising TF (terror financing) not be made by the next Plenary, the FATF will take action,” it added.

It said such action could include calling on its members to order their financial institutions to give particularly rigorous attention to business relations and transactions with Pakistani clients.

While noting that all deadlines in Pakistan's action plan have expired, the FATF expressed concern over "Pakistan’s failure to complete its action plan in line with the agreed timelines and in light of the TF risks emanating from the jurisdiction".

The watchdog did take into account recent "notable improvements" made by Pakistan, saying the country has, to date, "largely addressed" 14 out of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action plan.

With a minimum of three votes by FATF members needed to avoid the organisation's blacklist, Pakistan has been able to avoid punishment so far thanks to support from China and other friendly countries including Malaysia and Turkey.

The watchdog will undertake the next review of Pakistan’s progress in June.

Pakistan is already finalising major amendments to at least a dozen of its laws to meet the FATF requirements by June. Targets have been set for further legislation to upgrade about 12-13 laws and subordinate legislation to complete the overall legal framework in line with the FATF standards.

Spoiler

China lauds Pakistan's efforts

Earlier, the Chinese foreign ministry had said that a majority of FATF members had recognised Pakistan's efforts to improve its counter-terrorism financing (CTF) regime at the financial watchdog's latest plenary meeting.

"It was decided at the meeting that Pakistan will be allowed more time to continue implementing its action plan," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Geng Shuang at a news briefing in Beijing.

The statement by the Chinese government came hours ahead of the FATF decision regarding Pakistan's fate on the watchdog's grey list.

Asked to comment on Indian media reports that China had changed its position at FATF to no longer support Pakistan, Geng said: "China's position on the relevant issue remains unchanged.

"China maintains that the purpose and aim of the FATF is to support countries' efforts to strengthen institutions against money laundering and terror financing and safeguard the international financing system. We stand ready to work with relevant parties to offer more assistance to Pakistan in this area."

The Chinese foreign ministry echoed similar views through a tweet, noting that "Pakistan has made enormous efforts in improving its CTF regime, which has been recognised by the majority of FATF members at the latest plenary meeting in Paris. China & other countries will continue offering assistance to Pakistan in this area."


Also on Friday, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance Dr Abdul Hafeez Sheikh in a meeting with Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Yao Jing thanked the Chinese government for "their massive support in the FATF meetings", a statement issued by the Finance Division said.

"China and other brotherly countries have supported Pakistan throughout the [FATF] process in terms of guiding the country to improve its frameworks," the press release quoted the adviser as saying.

The FATF plenary and working group meetings started in Paris, France on Monday and concluded today. A delegation headed by Federal Minister for Economic Affairs Hammad Azhar represented Pakistan at the meetings.

Placement on grey list

Pakistan was placed on the FATF grey list in June 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete by October 2019 or face the risk of being placed on the blacklist along with Iran and North Korea.

In October 2019, the FATF decided to keep Pakistan on its grey list till February, giving it time to implement the 27-point action plan.

The task force directed Islamabad to take more measures for complete elimination of terror financing and money laundering while expressing serious concerns over the lack of progress in addressing terror financing risks.

The FATF met again in January this year in Beijing where Pakistan provided a list of actions taken to implement the action plan.

Ahead of this week's FATF meetings, government sources on Saturday had said that both the political and security establishment felt confident about pleading Pakistan’s case on the basis of strong measures taken over the past few years while addressing the concerns raised by the FATF.

Just days ahead of the FATF verdict, a senior US diplomat also acknowledged that Islamabad had moved closer to meeting its commitments to combat terrorist financing.

Last Wednesday, an anti-terrorism court in Lahore convicted Jamaatud Dawa leader Hafiz Saeed and his aide Malik Zafar Iqbal in two terrorist financing cases and sentenced them to five-and-a-half years of imprisonment each.

The chief US diplomat for South Asian affairs Alice G. Wells called the sentence "an important step forward" towards meeting Pakistan’s commitment to combat terrorist financing.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1535808/fatf-decides-to-keep-pakistan-on-its-grey-list-next-review-in-june

OH perfect, Pakistan can now release Hafiz Saeed and put him back into jail a week before The June review date. Win-Win

 

[JaDed]

Does this meeting happen every week?

 

[Iqbal'sh]

Does this meeting happen every week?

No but some posters want to keep it relevant.
I will let you work out which posters and why.

 

[Thomaskutty]

What did Pakistan think .. they could convict Hafiz Saeed a week before meeting and trick the FATF into thinking they were cooperating? It doesn't work that way. They want to see real change. Hand over Dawood, Masood and Hafiz to India for starters.

 

[Abdullah719]

FATF ‘recognises Pakistan’s efforts’ to fulfil action plan

ISLAMABAD: The Financial Action Task Force has decided not to blacklist Pakistan and give it more time to complete the 27-point action plan it has committed to as the “vast majority of FATF members recognised Islamabad’s enormous efforts to improve its counter-terror financing regime”.

The global financial watchdog announced on Friday that its plenary has decided not to blacklist Pakistan after the country showed progress on majority of the actionable points and demonstrated its serious political commitment to curb terror financing and money laundering.

Pakistan’s status would be retained on FATF’s Compliance Document, normally referred to as the “grey list”, for four more months, setting June 2020 as the new deadline for delivering on the remaining points related to terror financing risk management.
“Pakistan has made enormous efforts in improving its counter-terror financing system, which has been recognised by the vast majority of FATF members at its latest plenary meeting concluded on February 20 in Paris, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang told a daily briefing in Beijing.

The FATF decision might have come as a huge disappointment for India, which has consistently lobbied for ‘blacklisting’ Pakistan by the global financial watchdog. Geng was specifically asked about the Indian media reports which said Beijing was shifting its stance at FATF.

“China’s position on the relevant issue remains unchanged,” the spokesperson told the reporter categorically. “It was decided at the meeting that Pakistan will be allowed more time to continue implementing its action plan,” he added.

“China maintains that the purpose and aim of FATF is to support countries’ efforts to strengthen institutions against money laundering and terror financing and safeguard the international financing system. We stand ready to work with relevant parties to offer more assistance to Pakistan in this area.”

The FATF, also known by its French name Groupe d’Action Financiere, is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1989 on the initiative of the G-7 nations to develop policies to combat money laundering.

Spoiler

This is the second four-month lifeline that FATF has given to Pakistan, which would also help keep opening the financing pipelines from international creditors. Avoiding FATF’s blacklist would also guarantee continuation of the IMF programme, subject to fulfillment of other IMF conditions.

“The FATF recognises progress made by Pakistan but is concerned about the failure to complete its action plan to reduce money laundering and terrorist financing risks”, the financial watchdog stated in a statement issued on Friday after the six-day plenary in Paris.

“The FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020. Otherwise, [if] significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising TF (terror financing) not made by the next plenary, the FATF will take action,” the statement added.

The FATF plenary was chaired by its President Xiangmin Liu of China. Xiangmin’s term will end in June and in July Germany will take the chair of the 39-member global watchdog.

Finance Adviser Dr Hafeez Shaikh on Friday thanked the Chinese government on its “massive support in the FATF meetings”. Shaikh said China and other brotherly countries supported Pakistan throughout the FATF process in terms of guiding the country to improve its frameworks.

The FATF statement noted that since June 2018, Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and the Asia-Pacific Group (APG) to strengthen its AML/CFT regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies.

Pakistan’s political commitment has led to progress in a number of areas in its action plan, the statement said. The progress has been made on risk-based supervision and pursuing domestic and international cooperation to identify cash couriers, it added.

The FATF underlined that Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies by:

demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, relating to TF risk management and TFS obligations;
demonstrating that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS);
demonstrating the implementation of cross-border currency and BNI controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions;
demonstrating that law-enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target-designated persons and entities, and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities;
demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions;
demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1267 and 1373-designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services;
demonstrating enforcement against TFS violations, including administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases; and,
demonstrating that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated person are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.
The FATF’s decision to retain Pakistan on the “grey list” is in line with the government’s expectations. Although, the government was unable to comply with some of the points in the action plan, it did make efforts to improve the situation.

There were little chances of Pakistan being blacklisted at the FATF’s plenary meeting this month because of the Pakistani civilian and military leadership’s commitments to plug the loopholes in combating terror financing and money laundering. But Pakistan had not expected a warning at the same time.

In February last year, the FATF had decided to place Islamabad on the “grey list” with effect from June 2018. Pakistan had been given a 27-point ambitious action plan that required it to completely choke terror financing and monetary laundering, dismantle terrorists’ sanctuaries, and make the banking and non-banking financial regulations more stringent.

The FATF also stated that Iran had yet to ratify the UN’s Terrorist Financing and Palermo Conventions, calling on “all countries to apply effective counter-measures against Iran”.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2161629/1-fatf-keeps-pakistan-terror-financing-grey-list/

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

What did Pakistan think .. they could convict Hafiz Saeed a week before meeting and trick the FATF into thinking they were cooperating? It doesn't work that way. They want to see real change. Hand over Dawood, Masood and Hafiz to India for starters.

That will Never happen. Maybe if they trade Modi then there is a chance.

 

[Gharib Aadmi]

" The watchdog did take into account recent "notable improvements" made by Pakistan, saying the country has, to date, "largely addressed" 14 out of 27 action items, with varying levels of progress made on the rest of the action plan."

Seems Pakistan has made considerable progress. Pakistan will never be blacklisted, and will be off the gray list soon enough.

 

[King-Misbah]

That will Never happen. Maybe if they trade Modi then there is a chance.

ThomasKutty thinks India is a Supa Powa lol Attitude like Amerika and then pilots like Abhinandan lol

 

[Ronaldo7]

What did Pakistan think .. they could convict Hafiz Saeed a week before meeting and trick the FATF into thinking they were cooperating? It doesn't work that way. They want to see real change. Hand over Dawood, Masood and Hafiz to India for starters.

"hAnD oVeR" )

Who are you? lol

If we think they're terrorists we'll deal with them ourselves. Fix up you country before trying to mess with our system

 

[Lonewarrior]

What did Pakistan think .. they could convict Hafiz Saeed a week before meeting and trick the FATF into thinking they were cooperating? It doesn't work that way. They want to see real change. Hand over Dawood, Masood and Hafiz to India for starters.

this isnt your game.

 

[aukhan]

Ehsan Ullah was released as a result of a deal which allowed the ISI to find the ring leaders of gang that killed the APS kids. Look at how many have met their fate in the last 2 weeks.

Give that excuse to the victim families. Im sure they are not happy thats why they have protested against this decision.

 

[Bewal Express]

Give that excuse to the victim families. Im sure they are not happy thats why they have protested against this decision.

So you want the ISI to come out and say we killed the ring leaders. If the families knew that they managed to get the ring leaders because of the information they received from him, I think they would be happier. But it's happened, at least 3 of the ring leaders have been eliminated.

 

[Pakpak]

Hand over a Pakistani national to India. What do these people smoke

 

[Abdullah719]

FATF to review steps taken by Pakistan in June

Spoiler

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s performance to meet international commitments and standards in the fight against money laundering and terror financing will be reviewed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at its meeting slated to be held in Beijing on June 21-26.

In February, the Paris-based global watchdog against financial crimes gave Pakistan a four-month grace period to complete its 27-point action plan against money laundering and terror financing committed with the international community when it noted that Pakistan had delivered on 14 points and missed 13 other targets.

A senior government official told Dawn that Pakistan’s performance would be reviewed at the joint working group meetings of the FATF and Eurasian Group (EAG) scheduled for June 21-26 in Beijing and the assessment would lead to final announcement in October this year if Pakistan should move out of the grey list. He said certain action points were yet to be complied with the commitments mainly because of ongoing coronavirus lockdowns.

Officials said that Pakistan had put in place a broad-based strategy for taking necessary actions to complete outstanding commitments with the FATF in February and was actively making progress. The FATF announced on February 21 that all deadlines given to Pakistan to complete 27-point action plan had expired and yet only 14 items had largely been completed, leaving 13 unaccomplished targets. It strongly urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020 or else it would be moved to the list of monitored jurisdiction, commonly known as blacklist.

“Otherwise, should significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising TF (terrorist financing) not be made by the next Plenary, the FATF will take action, which could include the FATF calling on its members and urging all jurisdiction to advise their Financial Institutions (FIs) to give special attention to business relations and transactions with Pakistan”, the FATF said in a formal announcement in February.

The FATF had noted “recent and notable improvements” but “again expresses concerns given Pakistan’s failure to complete its action plan in line with the agreed timelines and in light of the TF risks emanating from the jurisdiction”.

Pakistan has to show compliance with 13 remaining action points in eight key categories. The country has to demonstrate that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, relating to terrorist financing (TF) risk management and TFS (terror financing sanctions) obligations.

Pakistan has also to demonstrate that competent authorities were cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services and prove the implementation of cross-border currency and ‘bearer negotiable instruments’ controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

Pakistan also has demonstrate that law enforcement agencies are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities, and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities besides showing TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

Pakistan’s outstanding action areas also include effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1,267 and 1,373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services.

Pakistan will also have to demonstrate enforcement against TFS violations, including administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases and prove that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated person are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.

The FATF plenary had formally placed Pakistan in the grey list in June 2018 due to ‘strategic deficiencies’ in its AML/CFT regime after a push from India supported by the US, UK and some European countries. Pakistan then committed at the highest level to a 27-point action plan but failed to meet deadlines.

Pakistan has already finalised major amendments to at least a dozen of its laws to meet FATF requirements by June this year.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1547060/fatf-to-review-steps-taken-by-pakistan-in-june

 

[Abdullah719]

FATF grants unexpected relief to Pakistan amid pandemic

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan on Tuesday rece*ived an unexpected relief when it was given a five-month grace period by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to submit its performance report on 13 outstanding benchmarks for foolproof arrangements against money laundering and terror financing.

“We have just received an intimation from FATF through the State Bank of Pakistan that our review scheduled for June 21-26 in Beijing has been postponed,” a senior government official told Dawn. The country’s performance would now be reviewed in October.

He said Pakistan was earlier required to submit a performance report by April 20. “We will now send our report to FATF in August that would be reviewed in October,” the official said, adding the postponement was apparently caused by uncertainties over the coronavirus pandemic but the health crisis had provided Pakistan with additional time to remove deficiencies.

In February, the Paris-based global watchdog against financial crimes gave Pakistan a four-month grace period to complete its 27-point action plan against money laundering and terror financing committed when it noted that Pakistan had delivered on 14 points and missed 13 other targets.

Officials said that Pakistan had put in place a broad-based strategy for taking necessary actions to complete outstanding commitments with the FATF in February and was actively making progress.

The FATF announced on Feb 21 that all deadlines given to Pakistan to complete the 27-point action plan had expired and only 14 items had largely been completed, leaving 13 unaccomplished targets.

It had strongly urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020 or else it would be moved to the list of monitored jurisdiction, commonly known as the watchdog’s blacklist.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1547318/fatf-grants-unexpected-relief-to-pakistan-amid-pandemic

 

[Abdullah719]

Pakistan's finance adviser lauds US support in FATF

Pakistan appreciates the support extended by the US in the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), fight against Covid-19 and debt relief from G20 countries, said Adviser to Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh.

In virtual discussion with members of the US-Pakistan Business Council, Shaikh said, “We value our relationship with the US, particularly business collaborations, which have a great potential for growth given the opportunities for business and investment available in Pakistan.”

He said the business environment in Pakistan, facilitated by a greater ease of doing business, improved regulations and huge market potential, was ideal for US businessmen for making investment and forming joint ventures. The adviser said the government had recently announced Rs1.2-trillion stimulus package to shore up the economy and boost businesses.

Similarly, the upcoming budget was being designed in a way to provide maximum relief and incentives for businesses and promote trade by reducing tariffs on a large number of raw materials. Speaking on the occasion, US-Pakistan Business Council President Esperanza Jelalian and Chairman Steven Kobos said the US government and businessmen saw Pakistan as an important trade partner.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2225904/1-pakistans-finance-adviser-lauds-us-support-fatf/

 

[finalfantasy7]

i believe thr was a meeting - and Pakistan failed to get out of the grey list:

cant find any pakistan sources, but a few indians sources have stated this.

can someone confirm with detail info

 

[ahsan17]

i believe thr was a meeting - and Pakistan failed to get out of the grey list:

cant find any pakistan sources, but a few indians sources have stated this.

can someone confirm with detail info

Wait for other sources. Few months ago Indian sources said Pakistan was going to be in the blacklist. Not saying what is being reported now is not true, but we just need to wait for other sources.

 

[Abdullah719]

i believe thr was a meeting - and Pakistan failed to get out of the grey list:

cant find any pakistan sources, but a few indians sources have stated this.

can someone confirm with detail info

FATF asks Pakistan to amend foreign exchange laws within 3 months

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan will have to pass amendments into Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Foreign Exchange Regulation laws within the next three months to comply with the conditions set forward by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Official sources confirmed to The News on Wednesday that the financial watchdog has extended deadline for Pakistan till next plenary meeting expected to be held in October 2020.

Sources said that after the tragic demise of DG Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) Mansoor Hassan Siddiqui a few months back, the post was fallen vacant but now the government-appointed Lubna Farooq Malik, Executive Director SBP, as DG FMU.

The notification of her appointment has been issued but she has not take charge of her new post.

There was a proposal on the eve of the budget-making process for 2020-21 to incorporate some amendments related to Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) and AML as part of the Finance Bill but it was rejected and decided that separate legislation would be pursued to seek approval of Parliament. The government had proposed some changes to nonprofit organisations (NPOs) and trusts related to income tax laws in order to comply with the FATF requirements.

When contacted, the Finance Ministry high-ups said that the FATF extended the deadline for the compliance report until October 2020. The government is working on bringing these changes into different laws and the pending legislation bills would be pursued vigorously.

FATF declares Pakistan fully compliant on 14 points

The FATF had placed Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and placed 27 conditions for review for complying in one year, till September 2019. Pakistan was so far given three extensions of three months each, every time to comply with 27-point action plans. Out of the 27-point action plan, the FATF had so far declared Pakistan fully compliant on 14 points and now there is a deadline of September/October 2020 for complying on the remaining 13 points in a bid to ensure exit from the grey list of the watchdog.

According to the list of remaining 13 points of 27 action plan (1) Pakistan will have to demonstrate effectiveness of sanctions including remedial actions to curb terrorist financing in the country; (2) Pakistan will have to ensure improved effectiveness for terror financing of financial institutions with particular to banned outfits; (3) Pakistan will have to take actions against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS) such as hundi-hawala; (4) Pakistan will have to place sanction regime against cash couriers;

(5) Pakistan will have to ensure logical conclusion from ongoing terror financing investigation of law enforcing agencies (LEAs) against banned outfits and proscribed persons; (6) Pakistani authorities will have to ensure international cooperation based investigations and convictions against banned organisations (list provided to Pakistan) and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (7) The country will have to place effective domestic cooperation between Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) and LEAs in investigation of terror financing; (8) Prosecution of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (9) Demonstrate convictions from court of law of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (10) Seizure of properties of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan);

(11) Conversion of madrassas to schools and health units into official formations (list provided to Pakistan); (12) To cut off funding of banned outfits and proscribed persons; and (13) Pakistan will have to place a permanent mechanism for management of properties and assets owned by the banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan).

Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar in his budget speech on June 12 stated that in June 2018 Pakistan was placed in the grey list and was required to comply with 27 Actionable Points. Our government has put in unprecedented efforts at all levels to improve its AML/CFT regime to meet the requirements of the FATF Action Plan.

In this regard, he said that he has been entrusted with the responsibility of the National FATF Coordination Committee. A comprehensive process of legislative, technical and operational improvements has been initiated. Significant results have been achieved in the areas of financial sector supervision, investigations, prosecutions and international cooperation,” he said.

“We have progressed significantly on 27 actionable items included in the FATF Action Plan. Within a period of one year, 14 items have been largely addressed and 11 partially addressed whereas, in two areas, concerted efforts are being made for implementation,” Azhar added.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/294713-pa...n-three-months-to-comply-with-fatf-conditions

 

[finalfantasy7]

FATF asks Pakistan to amend foreign exchange laws within 3 months

ISLAMABAD: The government of Pakistan will have to pass amendments into Anti Money Laundering (AML) and Foreign Exchange Regulation laws within the next three months to comply with the conditions set forward by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Official sources confirmed to The News on Wednesday that the financial watchdog has extended deadline for Pakistan till next plenary meeting expected to be held in October 2020.

Sources said that after the tragic demise of DG Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) Mansoor Hassan Siddiqui a few months back, the post was fallen vacant but now the government-appointed Lubna Farooq Malik, Executive Director SBP, as DG FMU.

The notification of her appointment has been issued but she has not take charge of her new post.

There was a proposal on the eve of the budget-making process for 2020-21 to incorporate some amendments related to Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) and AML as part of the Finance Bill but it was rejected and decided that separate legislation would be pursued to seek approval of Parliament. The government had proposed some changes to nonprofit organisations (NPOs) and trusts related to income tax laws in order to comply with the FATF requirements.

When contacted, the Finance Ministry high-ups said that the FATF extended the deadline for the compliance report until October 2020. The government is working on bringing these changes into different laws and the pending legislation bills would be pursued vigorously.

FATF declares Pakistan fully compliant on 14 points

The FATF had placed Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and placed 27 conditions for review for complying in one year, till September 2019. Pakistan was so far given three extensions of three months each, every time to comply with 27-point action plans. Out of the 27-point action plan, the FATF had so far declared Pakistan fully compliant on 14 points and now there is a deadline of September/October 2020 for complying on the remaining 13 points in a bid to ensure exit from the grey list of the watchdog.

According to the list of remaining 13 points of 27 action plan (1) Pakistan will have to demonstrate effectiveness of sanctions including remedial actions to curb terrorist financing in the country; (2) Pakistan will have to ensure improved effectiveness for terror financing of financial institutions with particular to banned outfits; (3) Pakistan will have to take actions against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS) such as hundi-hawala; (4) Pakistan will have to place sanction regime against cash couriers;

(5) Pakistan will have to ensure logical conclusion from ongoing terror financing investigation of law enforcing agencies (LEAs) against banned outfits and proscribed persons; (6) Pakistani authorities will have to ensure international cooperation based investigations and convictions against banned organisations (list provided to Pakistan) and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (7) The country will have to place effective domestic cooperation between Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) and LEAs in investigation of terror financing; (8) Prosecution of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (9) Demonstrate convictions from court of law of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan); (10) Seizure of properties of banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan);

(11) Conversion of madrassas to schools and health units into official formations (list provided to Pakistan); (12) To cut off funding of banned outfits and proscribed persons; and (13) Pakistan will have to place a permanent mechanism for management of properties and assets owned by the banned outfits and proscribed persons (list provided to Pakistan).

Federal Minister for Industries and Production Hammad Azhar in his budget speech on June 12 stated that in June 2018 Pakistan was placed in the grey list and was required to comply with 27 Actionable Points. Our government has put in unprecedented efforts at all levels to improve its AML/CFT regime to meet the requirements of the FATF Action Plan.

In this regard, he said that he has been entrusted with the responsibility of the National FATF Coordination Committee. A comprehensive process of legislative, technical and operational improvements has been initiated. Significant results have been achieved in the areas of financial sector supervision, investigations, prosecutions and international cooperation,” he said.

“We have progressed significantly on 27 actionable items included in the FATF Action Plan. Within a period of one year, 14 items have been largely addressed and 11 partially addressed whereas, in two areas, concerted efforts are being made for implementation,” Azhar added.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/294713-pa...n-three-months-to-comply-with-fatf-conditions

ok, thanks, see the indian reports i read stated that its been delayed to october 2020, due to the point not convicting 2 terrorist leaders of 1 ja-shaem mohammed and another terrorist group leader.

 

[Mamoon]

What implications will Imran sympathy with OBL have on this? It is a point for debate.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The Foreign Office on Friday said that Pakistan’s case was not taken up at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting held earlier this week and it would continue to be on its ‘grey list’ till October.

“The agenda of FATF’s virtual plenary meeting, held on 24 June 2020, did not include Pakistan. In this virtual plenary meeting, no new decision regarding Pakistan was made,” the FO said in a statement.

Therefore, the decisions taken at the FATF’s plenary held in February would remain in effect, it said.

Pakistan was at the last plenary given a six-month extension (till June 2020) on the grey list for meeting the remaining requirements of its action plan with a warning that action would be taken against it if it did not show “significant and sustainable progress especially in prosecuting and penalising terrorism financing cases”.

Pakistan has been on the grey list since June 2018. The grey list comprises countries being monitored by the illicit financing watchdog for weaknesses in their anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regimes.

Country will continue to be on grey list till October

Pakistan’s case was not discussed at the Paris meeting because of a decision taken by FATF on April 28 to suspend the ICRG (International Coope*ration Review Group) review process for the countries on the grey list.

Evaluation of Pakistan’s progress on the FATF Action Plan would now be made in the next plenary cycle beginning in October. The next cycle would have a new president. China led FATF from Oct 2019 to June 2020.

“Pakistan remains committed to completing its FATF Action Plan and continues to make progress,” the FO said.

This situation was, however, misreported by the Indian media, which claimed that the June 24 plenary kept Pakistan on the grey list for failing to check flow of money to terror groups. Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) too jumped in to exploit the misrepresentation of the situation by claiming that it vindicated Delhi’s stance about Pakistan not taking action against terrorist networks.

The FO said it rejects the remarks by MEA spokesperson and outrightly dismisses the “fabricated news reports” in Indian media.

Indian media reports in this regard, it said, were “patently misleading and part of the incessant smear campaign by India against Pakistan”.

The FO recalled that it had repeatedly warned about India’s “sinister attempts” to use FATF process for its “narrow” political gains.

“Pakistan has also been raising the issue of India’s dubious credentials as an impartial and objective assessor of Pakistan’s progress on the FATF Action Plan. India’s efforts to misuse the technical forum of FATF for discrediting Pakistan have been noticed by FATF members and are not appreciated by the international community,” it emphasised.

It called on FATF members to take note of India’s malicious campaign against Pakistan and reject its attempts to politicise the FATF process.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1565473/pakistans-case-not-taken-up-at-fatf-meeting-fo

 

[Abdullah719]

Pakistan ensuring completion of FATF Action Plan: Hafeez Shaikh

Spoiler

ISLAMABAD: Adviser to the Prime Minister on Finance and Revenue Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh Friday said Pakistan as a responsible member of international community continued to ensure the earliest completion of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Action Plan through increasing the effectiveness of its AML / CFT Regime.

The adviser was delivering a keynote statement through Zoom to the High Level Panel on International Financial Accountability, Transparency and Integrity (FACTI) for Achieving the 2030 Agenda to contribute to the implementation of the 2030, Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Hafeez Shaikh said Pakistan had already addressed 14 out of 27 FATF Action Plan items while substantial progress had been made in addressing the remaining 13 ones, according to a press release issued here by the Finance Ministry.

The FACTI Panel discussed among others the overall efforts undertaken by member states to implement comprehensive international frameworks related to financial accountability, transparency and integrity critical to financing the Sustainable Development Goals.

Tijjani Muhammad-Bande, President of the General Assembly and Ms. Mona Juul, President of the Economic and Social Council, were also part of the High Level Panel Hafeez Shaikh told the panel that Pakistan had made considerable progress in addressing the recommended actions of Mutual Evaluation Report, which included 15 Legal Amendments to meet technical compliance, updation of National Risk Assessment on ML/CT, implementation of Anti-Money Laundering/Combating the Financial Terrorism (AML/CFT) measures on DNFBPs, CDNS and Pakistan Post, broadening the sanction regime etc.

Similarly, he said, Pakistan had taken various measures in recent years to contain illicit financial flows through strengthening of the AML/CFT regulations on Customer Due Diligence (CDD) and Know Your Customer (KYC)/ and other AML/CFT instructions to financial institutions have been brought in line with FATF standards.

To further align with the international standards, he said, the AML Act had been amended to include Tax Offences as predicate offences.

A range of predicate offences had been added to the schedule of AML Act, to include serious offences, including corruption, narcotics, terrorism and human trafficking, he added.

Dr Abdul Hafeez Shaikh said violations of Section 4(1) (un-authorized FX business) and Section 5 (Illegal transfers) of Foreign Exchange Regulation Act ( FERA), 1947 had been incorporated into the schedule of Anti Money Laundering (AML) Act, 2010 in terms of which those offences might also be punishable.

He said amendments to Protection of Economic Reforms Act (PERA) 1992 had been incorporated to restrict feeding of foreign currency accounts by non-tax filer Pakistani residents.

The adviser said Pakistan had launched Pakistan Remittances Initiative (PRI) to facilitate inflow of home remittance into the country through formal channels.

Resultantly, Pakistan had registered growth in remittances during the last decade, rising from $ 6.4 billion in FY08 to $ 23 billion in FY20.

Automation of Electronic Import Form (EIF) and Electronic Export Form (EEF) by banks through Pakistan Customs’ software - Web Based One Customs (WeBOC) to synchronize import and export of goods and payments by banks were also some of steps taken by the government to further streamline the processes, he added.

The adviser said the State Bank of Pakistan and the Federal Investigation Agency were continuing to identify illegal MVTS (hawala/ hundi operators) and take measures, including closure, investigation and prosecution these operators.

He called upon the Panel to look into how multinational corporations (MNCs) minimize their tax liabilities to revenue authorities in their country of operations.

He observed that MNCs had devised sophisticated financial and operational models enabling them to manoeuvre their way through tax systems and shift their profits to low tax jurisdictions and, in many instances, tax havens that are highly opaque in nature.

He said the Panama Papers highlighted the myriad ways in which the rich could exploit secretive offshore tax regimes – and widen the gulf between the rich and the poor.

Abuse of anonymous shell companies was among the reasons why many countries were facing greater challenges today in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. For years, they had enabled corruption, fraud and tax evasion, he added.

Hafeez Shaikh also drew the attention of the panel to a research by Transparency International showing that the overall level of compliance on the part of countries with beneficial ownership transparency standards was low, as many countries had failed to take adequate measures such as the establishment of registers.

Asset recovery by developing countries had been slow and legal framework remained cumbersome, he noted.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/4000...-completion-of-fatf-action-plan-hafeez-shaikh

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The National Assembly is set to begin on Monday (today) a debate on the privatisation policy of the government besides taking up two crucial bills seeking amendments to the anti-terrorism act to fulfil international commitments and certain requirements of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) when the lower house will resume its session after a two-day recess.

According to the 22-point agenda issued by the National Assembly Secretariat for the sitting, Minister for Interior retd Brig Ijaz Shah will move the two bills seeking amendments to sections 2, 6, 9A and 11O in the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) 1997 and insertion of a new section 11OOO in it before the house for passage.

Both the bills with the same title the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020 were approved by the National Assembly Standing Committee on Interior in February.

Interior secretary to get powers to order detentions; PPP concerned over broad powers given to LEAs

Through one of the bills, the government has defined the term “economic terrorism” for the first time. The bill defines “economic terrorism” as ‘the transfer of money or funds from Pakistan to destinations abroad through any informal channel, including Hundi or Hawala, where the total amount transferred by any one agent, through a single or multiple transactions over a period of one month, is equal to or exceeds fifty million rupees (Rs50 million).”

The bills had been introduced by the government to meet certain requirements of the FATF and in line with the United Nations Security Council Resolutions No. 1267 and 1373.

On one of the bills seeking to enhance applicability of the ATA in cases of transfer of money through informal channels and giving broad powers to law enforcement personnel to keep the accused under detention for three months during the inquiry period and carry out search operation at suspected premises, two committee members belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) — Abdul Qadir Patel and Agha Rafiullah — have submitted a dissenting note.

Through a bill, the government seeks to insert a new section 9A titled “Preventive detention for inquiry” in the ATA. The bill “empowers the federal and provincial authorities to detain the persons for inquiry as well as to review the applications of aggrieved person against the detention orders”.

It says: “(1) Any person against whom there are reasonable grounds of believing that he is connected with an offence under this Act may be detained for inquiry for a period not exceeding three months. (2) The detention under sub-section (1), may be authorised through a specific or general order passed by the secretary, Ministry of Interior or the Home Secretary of the province, or where the provisions of Section 4 have been invoked, the armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case may be, upon the recommendation of a committee to be notified by the secretary interior.”

This detention period can be extended for another three months subject to the provisions of Article 10 of the Constitution.

The bill says: “The inquiry may be conducted by a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police or through a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) to be notified by the government comprising a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police and officers of other investigation agencies.

“The police officer or the JIT, as the case may be, shall have such powers as are given in section 5 of the Federal Investigation Agency Act, 1974 (VIII of 1975): Provided that where the detention order has been issued by the armed forces or civil armed forces under subsection (2), the inquiry shall be conducted by the JIT comprising members of armed forces or civil armed forces, as the case may be, intelligence agencies and other law enforcement agencies, including a police officer not below the rank of superintendent of police.”

Another sub-section says: “The detenue shall be produced in camera before the presiding officer of the court or in his absence before the district and sessions judge or the magistrate appointed under the Shariah Nizam-i-Adl Regulation, 2009, as the case may be within twenty-four hours of his detention and before the presiding officer of the court if and when any extension in the period of detention is requested.”

According to the sub-section 6, “the police officer or JIT, as the case may be, conducting inquiry under sub-section (4) shall have all the powers relating to search or arrest of person and seizure of property and other relevant material connected with the commission of any offence and shall have all the powers which a police officer have in relation to the investigation of offences under this Act or Code or any other law for the time being in force.”

The aggrieved person, however, has been given the right to appeal “to the minister for interior in case he is detained by the order of the interior secretary” and to the interior secretary in case he is detained by the order of home secretary of a province.

In case the order has been issued by the interior secretary, then the committee under sub-section 2 will comprise the interior secretary himself as chairman and director general (DG) of the FIA, member customs, DG of the Airport Security Force, DG of the Anti-Narcotics Force and representatives of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Intelligence Bureau and (IB) Financial Monitoring Unit as members.

In case the order has been issued by the home secretary of a province, the committee will comprise home secretary concerned as chairman and additional inspector general police (special branch), zonal director of the FIA, collector customs (preventive), head of Counter-Terrorism Department, sector commander of the ISI and joint director of IB as members.

Dissenting notes
In their dissenting notes, the PPP members have expressed fear that “if the bill is passed in this shape, it will not be used in just manners and might be used for victimisation”.

The PPP members are of the view that the provision of this bill “shall only apply to those transactions, which are carried through any informal channel as the definition of ‘agent’ given in the bill gives a sense to ‘legalise’ informal channel of transfer of money, which include Hundi or Hawala.

“In the bill, it has not been mentioned that such transactions have either been used or supposed to be used in any activity of terrorism abroad”, they said.

The PPP members believe that absolute powers are being given to the federal interior secretary and the provincial home secretaries to detain anyone for 90 days, this is too longer period, whereas the maximum custody of a person in murder charges is 14 days.

“People in large have already witnessed unlawful custody of many under National Accountability Bureau,” they said. “This law requires that grounds of detention shall be provided to the detainee within 24 hours, and he shall be allowed to render services of lawyer forthwith. Furthermore, in the bill, timeframe to decide an appeal has not been specified, it should be specified.”

The bills have also suggested increase in the punishment, including the fine amount from existing Rs10 million to Rs25m, besides introduction of a jail sentence for 10 years for those found involved in terror financing through illegal money transfers.

The statement of objectives and reasons attached to the bill seeking amendments to sections 2 and 11O and insertion of new sub-section 11OOO states that “the ATA 1997... lacks certain provisions in relation to the implementation of UNSC Resolutions 1267 and 1373.”

Through Resolution 1,267, the member states of the UN implement the sanctions’ measures of assets freeze (targeted financial sanctions), arms embargo and travel ban on the entities and individuals who are designated on the sanctions list.

The Resolution 1,373 requires the member states to implement counter-terrorism measures, especially countering financing of terrorism through their domestic laws.

“The above obligation is implemented in Pakistan through the ATA 1997. The penalties already provided in the said act are not dissuasive for violations of assets’ seizure provision in section 11O and the provided amount of fine is insufficient,” concludes the statement.
https://www.dawn.com/news/1568664/na-takes-up-anti-terror-financing-bills-today

 

[Abdullah719]

Govt gets two FATF-related bills passed through NA amid opposition protest

The government on Wednesday managed to get two Financial Action Task Force (FATF)-related bills passed by the National Assembly amidst a noisy protest by the opposition.

The Anti-terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020 and the United Nations (Security Council) (Amendment) Bill, 2020 were both moved by Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan.

The bills were passed amid sloganeering from the opposition benches, mainly in protest against the Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi's speech in the assembly on Tuesday in which he had explained the deadlock between the government and the opposition over a number of legislations.

The noisy protest led the NA speaker to suspend proceedings on three occasions: twice when Qureshi refused to speak amid the opposition's slogans and once soon after the passage of the bills.

Spoiler

In his remarks, PML-N MNA Khawaja Asif said he was speaking to present the opposition's point of view on the foreign minister's speech yesterday.

He said Qureshi yesterday disclosed the details of an informal meeting between the government and the opposition members held at the speaker's residence.

"Nine members of the 25-member special parliamentary committee were having an informal meeting to discuss legislation on FATF and NAB (National Accountability Bureau). The issue was to go back to the main committee, but the foreign minister disclosed the details on the floor of the house which was against ethics and norms," Asif added.

He said Qureshi had "crossed all the limits by disclosing details [of the meeting] which should have been kept secret" because the minister "wanted to do politics".

"He (Qureshi) tried to give the impression that the opposition was only interested in NAB laws and not FATF. There was no need to bring these things on the record," the PML-N lawmaker said.

He criticised Qureshi for not disclosing before the lower house that the two sides had, in fact, reached consensus on the two FATF-related bills yesterday.

"The opposition only wanted to stop the political use of the laws ... We cannot allow 90 days' detention under the pretext of economic terrorism," he said, explaining why the two sides had disagreed on other FATF-related legislation on Tuesday.

"In the past, those who made the wrong laws, they themselves became their victim," Asif said.

The speaker then gave Qureshi the floor three or four times to respond to Asif, but the minister refused to speak due to the opposition's protest.

The speaker and the deputy speaker asked him to continue his speech, but he said he would do so when there was silence and order in the house.

Instead of Qureshi, federal minister Murad Saeed responded to the opposition, accusing it of attempting to seek relief from the government for their alleged corruption. He said Prime Minister Imran Khan will not give any such "NRO".

Responding to Asif at a press conference in the evening, Qureshi said the government was open to discussing all pending legislation but urged the opposition to "delink" the FATF bills with the proposed changes to the accountability laws.

Law Minister Naseem while talking to media on Tuesday had confirmed the deadlock in discussions between the government and the opposition and said the FATF-related legislation had to be passed before August 6 as it was a requirement for removing Pakistan from the 'grey list'. He declared that the government would introduce the bills on its own before the deadline.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1571802/g...lls-passed-through-na-amid-opposition-protest

 

[MenInG]

The Senate on Thursday approved with amendments two crucial bills related to the action plan of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and required to remove the country from its grey list.

Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani chaired the session of the Upper House during which Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Babar Awan presented the United Nations (Security Council) Bill 2020 and the Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020.

Both bills were passed with a majority vote as Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam–Fazl (JUI-F) voiced its opposition, claiming that the point of view of its lawmakers was not heard. "Are we enemies of the nation?" asked Maulana Attaur Rehman.

Calling out the PPP and the PML-N, he said that both parties have never sided with the opposition and have supported the government.

Speaking on the floor of the house, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said: "Today the Senate has proven that it is a mature forum and can work for national interest by keeping aside political differences."

He maintained that by passing the two bills, the Senate had "defeated India's ambitions" of having Pakistan blacklisted by the FATF. "We are trying to remove Pakistan from the grey list and today you have played a part in these efforts.

"We may have many differences, but we are all one when it comes to national issues."

Governments are temporary, he said, adding that everybody has been on both sides.

"Today the political parties of Pakistan have demonstrated maturity and this is what a statesman has to demonstrate.

"I wish the JUI-F would have reviewed its position. By opposing this bill, they have given the impression that we are divided," he said, urging the lawmakers to review their objections as the bills had to be sent to the National Assembly once again.

The bills were then sent to the lower house where they were passed with the amendments made by the Senate. Awan once again presented the bills which were passed by a majority vote.

The JUI-F lawmakers voiced their opposition in NA as well. The session was adjourned till August 7.

FATF, NAB bills are separate: opposition

Speaking at a press conference earlier in the day, former prime minister and senior Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Shahid Khaqan Abbasi said that the opposition had proposed changes to the UNSC bill which the government accepted.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Sherry Rehman addressing a press conference. — DawnNewsTV
"We questioned the definition of 'person' in the anti-terrorism bill and that was also accepted. These two bills were decided in about 20 to 25 minutes."

He added that there was a third bill concerning economic terrorism that was "more horrific than Indian atrocities in occupied Kashmir". "We questioned the need for it and it was dropped," he said.

He said that the opposition had made it clear that the FATF and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) bills were separate, adding that it was the government that wanted to have four bills passed simultaneously.

NA passes bills amid opposition protest

The government on Wednesday had managed to get the two FATF-related bills passed by the National Assembly amidst a noisy protest by the opposition.

The bills were passed amid sloganeering from the opposition benches, mainly in protest against Foreign Minister Qureshi's speech in the assembly on Tuesday in which he had explained the deadlock between the government and the opposition over a number of legislations.

The noisy protest led the NA speaker to suspend proceedings on three occasions: twice when Qureshi refused to speak amid the opposition's slogans and once soon after the passage of the bills.


https://www.dawn.com/news/1571968/senate-passes-anti-terrorism-act-unsc-amendment-bills

 

[Abdullah719]

Pakistan compliant on ’14 FATF action points’

Pakistan is still fully compliant on 14 out of the 27-point Action Plan of the Financial Action Task Force and it will have to submit an implementation report on the remaining points in the next eight days, Financial Monitoring Unit director general has said.

“Pakistan is fully compliant on 14 action points,” Lubna Farooq told the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday.

The implementation report will be sent to the FATF by August 6, the DG said.

The deadline to complete the legislative work is August 15 and to submit a compliance report is August 6, the DG said.

Spoiler

The meeting of the Standing Committee on Finance had been convened to approve three bills, which the committee referred to a purpose-oriented Parliamentary Committee on Legislative Business, headed by Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. These were the anti-money laundering, companies act amendment and limited liability partnership amendment bills.

However, the opposition and the government ended at a deadlock at the legislative committee forum after the opposition refused to endorse the government’s proposed National Accountability Ordinance Amendment Bill.

“The parliamentary committee has to approve three FATF-related bills before August 6, or else Pakistan cannot exit the grey list,” Farogh Nasim, the federal minister for law, said after the legislative committee meeting.

Pakistan is on the FATF grey list since June 2018 and the government had been given a final warning in February to complete the remaining action points by June 2020. The FATF extended the June deadline to September due to spread of coronavirus that disrupted the FATF plenary meetings.

There was hope that Pakistan would make significant progress on the remaining 13 points before expiry of the deadline.

The members of the standing committee objected to the decision to refer three bills to the parliamentary committee.

Under the National Assembly rules, deliberation and voting by the Standing Committee on Finance is required on these bills.

The standing committee once again showed its displeasure over continued absence of Finance Adviser Dr Abdul Hafeez from the committee’s meeting.

“If the finance adviser does not attend the next committee meeting, I will quit as chairman of the committee,” Faizullah Kamoka, the committee chairman, threatened.

“The committee is being used as a rubber stamp and the government does not seem serious in legislation despite the gravity of the situation,” Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, the PML-N MNA, said.

“Even the IMF programme is dependent on the FATF and it is a matter of make and break for the country.”

PPP’s Hina Rabbani Khar criticised the government for wasting additional three months that had been available to it due to spread of coronavirus.

The FMU director general said that through amendments in the Anti-Money Laundering Bill, the law is being made stringent and the legislation will improve Pakistan’s chances of exiting the grey list.

Apart from making laws, “we will also have to ensure implementation of the laws”, said Farooq.

“Pakistan is on the grey list because of lack of implementation of FATF recommendations on terror financing.”

The DG said that Pakistan was trying to make laws that deal with Pakistan Post Office, Central Directorate of National Savings and professions like lawyers, accountants and jewellers, more stringent.

Unfinished agenda

The 13 conditions that remain unimplemented are related to curbing terror financing, enforcement of the laws against the proscribed organisations and improving the legal systems.

The actions that have yet to be taken are that Pakistan will have to demonstrate effectiveness of sanctions including remedial actions to curb terrorist financing in the country; it will have to ensure improved effectiveness for terror financing of financial institutions with particular to banned outfits. It will have to take actions against illegal Money or Value Transfer Services (MVTS) such as Hundi-Hawala.

Pakistan will have to place sanction regime against cash couriers. Pakistan will have to ensure logical conclusion from ongoing terror financing investigation of law enforcing agencies (LEAs) against banned outfits and proscribed persons. Pakistani authorities will have to ensure international cooperation based investigations and convictions against banned organisations and proscribed persons.

The country will have to place effective domestic cooperation between FMU and LEAs in investigation of terror financing; prosecution of banned outfits and proscribed persons and will have to demonstrate convictions from court of law of banned outfits and proscribed persons.

Seizure of properties of banned outfits and proscribed persons is another unfinished agenda. The conversion of madrassas to schools and health units into official formations is also needed to be demonstrated.

Pakistan will have to cut off funding of banned outfits and proscribed persons and it will also have to place permanent mechanism for management of properties and assets owned by the banned outfits and proscribed persons.

https://tribune.com.pk/story/2257208/pakistan-compliant-on-14-fatf-action-points

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that legislation related to fulfilling requirements laid out by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) was necessary for the national interest and that no National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) — a term used to describe concessions from legal prosecution — would be given in return for it.

The prime minister’s remarks came during a meeting of the PTI parliamentary party on Thursday. The premier alleged that the opposition has tried to create hurdles with every legislation but the government will not bow down to their blackmailing and will continue to give them a tough time.

“The opposition will not be given an NRO at any cost,” PM Imran said, directing lawmakers to give a tough time to the opposition.

The prime minister added that the government would have passed all the bills in a joint sitting of the two houses of parliament had the opposition not extended its cooperation in this regard.

Opposition wants to 'wheel and deal' for personal interests: Faraz
Federal Minister for Information Shibli Faraz on Wednesday had said that the opposition parties wanted to "wheel and deal" for their personal interests and the culprits, at any cost, would not be given any sort of concession.

"The opposition wants to bargain for personal interests. It is not possible that they have us close the jails and facilitate them with NROs. After Eid, the opposition's bubble will burst," the minister said.

Faraz said that the focus of the PTI-led government was on the real problems of the people. He said the "rule of merit" is the hallmark of the incumbent government.

Opposition using FATF legislation as bargaining chip to 'seek NRO': Javed
Earlier, PTI Senator Faisal Javed Khan had said the opposition was only using the legislation pertaining to FATF as a bargaining chip to seek a relief from legal prosecution.

"There's a deadline to legislate the FATF laws but the opposition has demanded an NRO in return," Javed wrote on Twitter. "This is the same NRO that Prime Minister Imran Khan talks about and yet they ask, which NRO?

"The opposition's proposed amendments to the NAB laws are akin to having jails for the common person and freedom for them," the PTI senator stressed, referring to the draft legislation on Pakistan's anti-graft watchdog, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

The Opposition "want freedom to engage in corruption and money-laundering", he added.

'Performed a melody'
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi while addressing a press conference alongside Adviser to the Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Affairs Shahzad Akbar had said when the opposition parties were asked to join negotiations on these laws, they agreed, saying they would talk about the FATF legislation only when there were amendments in the NAB's rules, or the NAB Ordinance 1999.

"We acted on the demands of the opposition [who] had remained in the government for 10 years," he noted. "If they were unable to legislate in 10 years, how can we do the same in 10 hours?"

The foreign minister had added that he was not painting any pictures but that it was the opposition parties that were portraying the matter as something else.

https://www.geo.tv/latest/300589-no-nro-in-return-for-legislation-on-fatf-says-pm-imran

 

[MenInG]

LAHORE: Giving reasons behind ‘unconditional’ support of the FATF-related bills in the Senate, a close aide to former premier Nawaz Sharif said the opposition did so to get Pakistan out of the grey list.

“Had we not supported the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related bills (the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the United Nations Security Council Amendment Bill, 2020) and if Pakistan was put in the black list subsequently, the opposition would have been blamed for it,” PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid told Dawn on Friday.

Senator Rashid said it was not only this reason but also both laws existed here in some form and there was nothing objectionable in them. “The opposition voted for both the bills on merit. Now after the passage of these bills it is the test for the PTI government to pull the country out of the grey list,” he said.

The government on Wednesday last got both the bills passed through a majority voice vote amid opposition protest as the amendments it had proposed were not accommodated. The opposition, mainly comprising PML-N and PPP, has majority in the Senate and however on Thursday it supported both bills after ‘some’ of its amendments were adopted.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), another opposition party, protested against the act of the PML-N and the PPP for helping the government in getting the FATF-related bills passed in parliament.

Pervaiz Rashid said the opposition had not supported both bills in the National Assembly because the government had not adopted a laid-down procedure.

“We supported it after the government adopted the procedure and sent the bills to the standing committee before its laying in the Senate,” he said.

To a question about the future of the opposition alliance to oust the Imran Khan government as claimed by Opposition Leader in National Assembly and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif after the JUI-F’s annoyance, Mr Rashid said: “The JUI-F is not going anywhere. It had reservations for not being consulted by the PML-N and PPP over this matter. We have tendered an apology to it (JUI-F) and it will be with us in any movement against the PTI government,” the PML-N Senator said.

According to sources, the establishment remained in contact with both the PML-N and PPP regarding the passage of the FATF-related bills.

“And this contact helped the passage of the two bills,” they said and added that the JUI-F was not contacted by the establishment for the purpose.

Meanwhile, PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal told a presser in Model Town that the government wanted to put Pakistanis in jail and target the opposition in the name of FATF which it did not allow.

He said the government had proposed such a law under which it could have arrested scientists.

“Ministers and advisers created confusion over this matter, even Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi tried to give some other colour to the opposition’s amendments,” Mr Iqbal said, adding whenever the opposition exposed the government’s corruption, incompetence and failures on all fronts Mr Niazi would start the rant that he would not give NRO to it.

“Who is seeking NRO from him,” he asked and said the PML-N leadership would not budge from its principles and was not afraid of going to jail.

The former interior minister said the government was keen to frame new laws keeping in view Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1572290/s...-meant-to-get-pakistan-out-of-grey-list-pml-n

 

[Bewal Express]

LAHORE: Giving reasons behind ‘unconditional’ support of the FATF-related bills in the Senate, a close aide to former premier Nawaz Sharif said the opposition did so to get Pakistan out of the grey list.

“Had we not supported the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related bills (the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020, and the United Nations Security Council Amendment Bill, 2020) and if Pakistan was put in the black list subsequently, the opposition would have been blamed for it,” PML-N Senator Pervaiz Rashid told Dawn on Friday.

Senator Rashid said it was not only this reason but also both laws existed here in some form and there was nothing objectionable in them. “The opposition voted for both the bills on merit. Now after the passage of these bills it is the test for the PTI government to pull the country out of the grey list,” he said.

The government on Wednesday last got both the bills passed through a majority voice vote amid opposition protest as the amendments it had proposed were not accommodated. The opposition, mainly comprising PML-N and PPP, has majority in the Senate and however on Thursday it supported both bills after ‘some’ of its amendments were adopted.

The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), another opposition party, protested against the act of the PML-N and the PPP for helping the government in getting the FATF-related bills passed in parliament.

Pervaiz Rashid said the opposition had not supported both bills in the National Assembly because the government had not adopted a laid-down procedure.

“We supported it after the government adopted the procedure and sent the bills to the standing committee before its laying in the Senate,” he said.

To a question about the future of the opposition alliance to oust the Imran Khan government as claimed by Opposition Leader in National Assembly and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif after the JUI-F’s annoyance, Mr Rashid said: “The JUI-F is not going anywhere. It had reservations for not being consulted by the PML-N and PPP over this matter. We have tendered an apology to it (JUI-F) and it will be with us in any movement against the PTI government,” the PML-N Senator said.

According to sources, the establishment remained in contact with both the PML-N and PPP regarding the passage of the FATF-related bills.

“And this contact helped the passage of the two bills,” they said and added that the JUI-F was not contacted by the establishment for the purpose.

Meanwhile, PML-N secretary general Ahsan Iqbal told a presser in Model Town that the government wanted to put Pakistanis in jail and target the opposition in the name of FATF which it did not allow.

He said the government had proposed such a law under which it could have arrested scientists.

“Ministers and advisers created confusion over this matter, even Prime Minister Imran Khan Niazi tried to give some other colour to the opposition’s amendments,” Mr Iqbal said, adding whenever the opposition exposed the government’s corruption, incompetence and failures on all fronts Mr Niazi would start the rant that he would not give NRO to it.

“Who is seeking NRO from him,” he asked and said the PML-N leadership would not budge from its principles and was not afraid of going to jail.

The former interior minister said the government was keen to frame new laws keeping in view Nawaz Sharif and Ishaq Dar.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1572290/s...-meant-to-get-pakistan-out-of-grey-list-pml-n

These disgusting creatures blackmailed IK and PK by linking a national issue with legalising corruption by destroying NAB and ended up being humiliated. In the end the pressure of social media and having no way to defend the indefensible led them to vote for the FATF reforms.

 

[Napa]

Real change requires both legislation and enforcement. A government, especially one with a powerful deep state like Pakistan, can easily ignore the laws in its books.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The government rushed a controversial bill relating to the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) — Anti Money Laundering (Second Amendment) — through a parliamentary panel with a majority vote on Monday amid protest by members of the opposition parties.

The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance & Revenue, presided over by the PTI’s Faizullah, passed the bill with a majority of nine votes to six within minutes in a meeting pulled earlier than originally scheduled.

The opposition members had on Friday raised serious questions over the government bill and resisted its approval with majority, compelling the government to call another meeting on Monday.

The PTI’s nine members present in the meeting voted in favour and three members each of PML-N and PPP voted against the bill, saying the proposed law was ‘draconian’ and against the public interest.

The chairman announced the committee recommends that the Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, 2020 “may be passed by the National Assembly”. He said the proposed law had attracted objections in the last meeting.

Under the bill, the fine for money laundering has been increased from Rs5 million to Rs25m for individuals and Rs100m for companies and institutions. For implementation of relevant laws, a national executive committee would be constituted. It will be led by the finance secretary and other members will be the secretaries of law, interior and foreign affairs, the chairmen of NAB, FBR and heads of the FIA and ANF, the deputy governor of State Bank and DGs of FMU, ISI, FATF cell and military operations. The opposition said chairmen and leaders of the house and opposition should also be represented in the NEC to pre-empt political victimisation.

All the financial and non-banking financial institutions will be required to issue suspected transaction reports (STRs) and maintain record of all transactions for five years.

Under the law, a separate regulatory authority will be established on money laundering and terror financing. Action will be taken against non-cooperating individuals and institutions.

The staff, institutions and companies providing information regarding money laundering and terror financing will be protected under the law from civil, criminal or departmental proceedings.

A PPP member and former finance minister Syed Naveed Qamar said his party had serious objections over the bill that had come under discussion in the last meeting. He said their recommendations for improvement had not been accepted by the treasury benches.

He said there were a number of objectionable clauses in the bill, but the worst issue was the involvement of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in the Anti-Money Laundering bill. “This is highly objectionable”, he said, adding there should be a procedure for increase in the punishments.

The Director General of Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU), Lubna Farooq Malik, said NAB was working with other agencies on many crimes and it would be difficult to exclude it from the bill at this time.

She said NAB could be excluded through an amendment if the institution is wound up.

A member of PML-N, Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha, said the draft bill would spread harassment. Her party colleague, Qaiser Ahmed Shaikh, said the clauses being pushed through the bill were not the conditions of the FATF and this should not be passed in haste and should instead be pursued in consultation with the business community.

The PPP’s Dr Nafisa Shah said the members were under an impression that the bill would be discussed in detail in the meeting because treasury members also had reservations over the proposed law, but it appeared the treasury benches were in a hurry.

Chairman Faizullah said the committee had a seven-hour discussion on the bill (on Friday) and the deliberations would be made part of the proceedings and reported to the house.

Dr Pasha said the government did not take up the bill for seven months and the chair was now talking about “seven-hour discussions”. She said the members had wanted a report about similar laws in other countries, but were not provided.

“In my view the proposed law is against international practices and will hamper investment.”

Hina Rabbani Khar, a PPP member and former foreign minister, said the implementation of such a draconian law would aggravate problems for the country and was being pushed for implementation at a time when the government was already following a policy of political victimisation.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1573769/g...-bill-through-na-panel-amid-opposition-uproar

 

[Abdullah719]

Govt introduce strict measures in Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020

The National Assembly (NA) on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020, by a majority. The bill includes strict measures against those working for banned individuals or outfits.

According to the bill, banned organizations and their affiliates will be barred from providing loans or financial assistance. Bank or financial institution will not be able to issue credit cards to the prohibited person.

Under the bill, arms licenses already issued will be considered revoked. The travel documents and accounts of the person involved in terrorism will be frozen, the money and property of such persons will be frozen and confiscated without any notice.

Those who do not follow the law will be jailed for 5 to 10 years and fined Rs 25 million.

Furthermore, the Definition of Person has been amended in the Anti-Terrorism Act Amendment Bill and under this amendment, the definition of a person will be an individual, legal person, and corporate body.

Spoiler

It also said that if a person to whom a UN Security Council resolution applies and fails to implement it, penalties along with fines are also proposed. The amendment increased the fine from Rs 10 million to Rs 50 million and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

In light of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) targets, amendments have been introduced in the Anti-Terrorism Act and the Penal Code of Pakistan, according to which the arms licenses of persons on the list of suspected terrorists will be revoked while no person or institution will be able to lend to such persons.

The bill also states that a person who lends money to a suspected terrorist will be fined Rs 25 million while the lending institution will be fined Rs 50 million.

The Special Secretary for Foreign Affairs briefed the Senate Standing Committee on the UN Security Council resolution. He said the UN’s Financial Action Task Force had proposed amendments to the anti-terrorism bill.

The committee members asked the Special Secretary for Foreign Affairs whether this was a demand of the UN body or whether there were some loopholes in Pakistani law. The committee members were told that suggestions had been made by the UN body.

The official said the Functional Action Task Force Asia-Pacific oversees the implementation of these laws, and that UN resolution must be implemented.

Strict action will be taken against any person or organization for any kind of support to the militants and at the same time, the property will be frozen along with heavy fines.

According to the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, 2020 there will also be fines for providing assistance or financing the sending of a person or group abroad for terrorist purposes.

The bill also stipulates that all movable and immovable property of any banned organization or its affiliates will be immediately frozen.

If the property is not verified, the properties which are outside the jurisdiction of the court will also be foreclosed.

https://www.brecorder.com/news/4001...easures-in-anti-terrorism-amendment-bill-2020

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: A day after the government reached an understanding with the opposition, five more FATF-related laws sailed through the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The house, however, witnessed a brief uproar when the opposition members objected to a part of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s speech.

They held a noisy protest when Mr Qureshi took the floor soon after conciliatory speeches by Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Syed Naveed Qamar and Khawaja Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), and angered the opposition by alleging that it had initially linked the passage of the legislations of national importance to changes in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance.

The situation turned ugly when the minister called PPP MNA from Karachi Agha Rafiullah an “immature” parliamentarian.

However, realising that his speech could spoil the otherwise conducive environment in the house and create problems for the government in getting the key legislations approved, the minister immediately took his seat as soon as the opposition members stood up and started raising slogans, calling him “a liar”.

Foreign minister’s speech stirs brief commotion in NA

He later withdrew his words which he said about the opposition lawmaker.

Syed Naveed Qamar termed the minister’s remarks “totally unfair” and uncalled-for at a time when the opposition was cooperating with the government to ensure the smooth passage of bills to meet the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) conditions.

He clarified that the opposition had never linked the NAB issue with FATF laws, saying the minister had made a wrong statement.

Another PPP leader, Raja Pervez Ashraf, also protested over Mr Qureshi’s remarks, alleging that it seemed the minister had intentionally tried to spoil the environment of the house.

Earlier, the government and the opposition succeeded in reaching a consensus on six of the eight FATF-related laws on Tuesday.

But, the government, at the last minute, agreed to hold back the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Waqf Properties Bill after the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) members objected to some of its clauses.

The government had previously agreed to defer the controversial Anti-Money Laundering and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) bills to hold further discussions with the opposition on them.

The breakthrough was achieved during a meeting between the government and opposition representatives at the residence of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Tuesday — a day after the government delayed presentation of five FATF-related bills.

The government decided to engage the opposition parties through the speaker with whose efforts three other bills were approved by the parliament. It had decided to take the opposition on board on the legislations that had already been passed by the assembly’s standing committees amid protest by the opposition parties which announced that they would block the bills in parliament.

The government had successfully managed to get two FATF-related bills — the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill and the United Nations (Security Council) (Amendment) Bill — passed from both houses with the support of two main opposition parties.

However, the smaller parties, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), Jamaat-i-Islami and nationalist parties from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had protested their non-inclusion in the consultation process.

The JUI-F, however, supported the bills on Wednesday after its member, Shahida Akhtar Ali, was formally invited to the talks following the party’s strong protest in the National Assembly on Monday.

Chief of his own faction of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Akhtar Mengal, however, announced that his party would abstain from voting on the bills.

The bills that were passed on Wednesday were the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, the Companies (Amendment) Bill, the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill and the ICT Trust Bill.

The MMA members, however, opposed the ICT Trust Bill which enabled the intelligence agencies to carry out verifications at the time of registration of trusts and tasking them to monitor their activities.

Speaking against the bill, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali said after passage of the bill, philanthropists would be hesitant to donate to mosques, seminaries and other charitable organisations as no one would want to be followed by agency people.

Hours after the passage of the bills from the lower house, the government convened a session of the Senate on Thursday evening to get the laws approved so that they could become acts of parliament. Sources, however, said the opposition would try to prevent the government from getting the legislations passed from the Senate on the same day.

There are indications that the opposition would press the government to send the bills to the Senate committees as per legislative process.

At the outset, PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar gave an explanation for the opposition’s support to the bills, saying that they were doing so as the government had incorporated most of their amendments to the proposed legislations.

He said they wanted to see Pakistan come out of the grey list after fulfilling the FATF conditions, but at the same time, they wanted the fundamental rights of the citizens protected.

He said they did not want laws to be misused like in the past when politicians were targeted through the ATC Act and NAB laws.

Mr Qamar said they also sought an end to terror financing, but at the same time they needed to ensure that genuine businessmen and investors were not affected by these laws to prevent the capital flight from the country.

Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha of the PML-N said it was their responsibility to ensure fundamental rights of citizens were not encroached upon while fulfilling the FATF conditions.

Earlier, PML-N’s Khawaja Asif drew the attention of the house towards an FIR registered against party workers in Lahore on Tuesday for allegedly attacking NAB office and policemen and which included the name of Public Accounts Committee Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain.

He alleged that this was carried out at the behest of the Punjab government despite the fact that he was present in the assembly, and was in a meeting with the speaker in Islamabad.

Asad Qaiser directed Khawaja Asif to move a privilege motion and he would take action against those responsible.

Details of bills
Under the ATC law, banks and financial institutions have been barred from providing loan facility, financial support or credit cards to proscribed persons.

It further says that “a person commits an offence if he knowingly or willfully pays for or provides money or other property or facilitate in any manner the travel of a person anywhere for the purpose of perpetrating, participating in, assisting or preparing for a terrorist act or for the purpose of providing or receiving training for terrorist related activities.”

The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill suggests various amendments to Limited Liability Partnership Act 2017 to ensure compliance with the recommendations on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism issued by the FATF.

The Companies (Amendment) Bill is aimed at removing deficiencies, including lack of explicit prohibition on issuance of bearer shares or bearer share warrants, lack of obligations for companies to hold beneficial ownership in formation etc.

The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill is aimed at removing a minor deficiency in Section 12 of CNS Act 1997 and restricts the acts of concealment or disguise by making false declaration.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1574104/opposition-again-helps-govt-pass-fatf-related-laws

 

[Bewal Express]

ISLAMABAD: A day after the government reached an understanding with the opposition, five more FATF-related laws sailed through the National Assembly on Wednesday.

The house, however, witnessed a brief uproar when the opposition members objected to a part of Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi’s speech.

They held a noisy protest when Mr Qureshi took the floor soon after conciliatory speeches by Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) Syed Naveed Qamar and Khawaja Asif of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), and angered the opposition by alleging that it had initially linked the passage of the legislations of national importance to changes in the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Ordinance.

The situation turned ugly when the minister called PPP MNA from Karachi Agha Rafiullah an “immature” parliamentarian.

However, realising that his speech could spoil the otherwise conducive environment in the house and create problems for the government in getting the key legislations approved, the minister immediately took his seat as soon as the opposition members stood up and started raising slogans, calling him “a liar”.

Foreign minister’s speech stirs brief commotion in NA

He later withdrew his words which he said about the opposition lawmaker.

Syed Naveed Qamar termed the minister’s remarks “totally unfair” and uncalled-for at a time when the opposition was cooperating with the government to ensure the smooth passage of bills to meet the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) conditions.

He clarified that the opposition had never linked the NAB issue with FATF laws, saying the minister had made a wrong statement.

Another PPP leader, Raja Pervez Ashraf, also protested over Mr Qureshi’s remarks, alleging that it seemed the minister had intentionally tried to spoil the environment of the house.

Earlier, the government and the opposition succeeded in reaching a consensus on six of the eight FATF-related laws on Tuesday.

But, the government, at the last minute, agreed to hold back the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Waqf Properties Bill after the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) members objected to some of its clauses.

The government had previously agreed to defer the controversial Anti-Money Laundering and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Amendment) bills to hold further discussions with the opposition on them.

The breakthrough was achieved during a meeting between the government and opposition representatives at the residence of National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser on Tuesday — a day after the government delayed presentation of five FATF-related bills.

The government decided to engage the opposition parties through the speaker with whose efforts three other bills were approved by the parliament. It had decided to take the opposition on board on the legislations that had already been passed by the assembly’s standing committees amid protest by the opposition parties which announced that they would block the bills in parliament.

The government had successfully managed to get two FATF-related bills — the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill and the United Nations (Security Council) (Amendment) Bill — passed from both houses with the support of two main opposition parties.

However, the smaller parties, including Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI-F), Jamaat-i-Islami and nationalist parties from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, had protested their non-inclusion in the consultation process.

The JUI-F, however, supported the bills on Wednesday after its member, Shahida Akhtar Ali, was formally invited to the talks following the party’s strong protest in the National Assembly on Monday.

Chief of his own faction of Balochistan National Party (BNP) Sardar Akhtar Mengal, however, announced that his party would abstain from voting on the bills.

The bills that were passed on Wednesday were the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill, the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill, the Companies (Amendment) Bill, the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill and the ICT Trust Bill.

The MMA members, however, opposed the ICT Trust Bill which enabled the intelligence agencies to carry out verifications at the time of registration of trusts and tasking them to monitor their activities.

Speaking against the bill, Maulana Abdul Akbar Chitrali said after passage of the bill, philanthropists would be hesitant to donate to mosques, seminaries and other charitable organisations as no one would want to be followed by agency people.

Hours after the passage of the bills from the lower house, the government convened a session of the Senate on Thursday evening to get the laws approved so that they could become acts of parliament. Sources, however, said the opposition would try to prevent the government from getting the legislations passed from the Senate on the same day.

There are indications that the opposition would press the government to send the bills to the Senate committees as per legislative process.

At the outset, PPP’s Syed Naveed Qamar gave an explanation for the opposition’s support to the bills, saying that they were doing so as the government had incorporated most of their amendments to the proposed legislations.

He said they wanted to see Pakistan come out of the grey list after fulfilling the FATF conditions, but at the same time, they wanted the fundamental rights of the citizens protected.

He said they did not want laws to be misused like in the past when politicians were targeted through the ATC Act and NAB laws.

Mr Qamar said they also sought an end to terror financing, but at the same time they needed to ensure that genuine businessmen and investors were not affected by these laws to prevent the capital flight from the country.

Mohsin Shahnawaz Ranjha of the PML-N said it was their responsibility to ensure fundamental rights of citizens were not encroached upon while fulfilling the FATF conditions.

Earlier, PML-N’s Khawaja Asif drew the attention of the house towards an FIR registered against party workers in Lahore on Tuesday for allegedly attacking NAB office and policemen and which included the name of Public Accounts Committee Chairman Rana Tanveer Hussain.

He alleged that this was carried out at the behest of the Punjab government despite the fact that he was present in the assembly, and was in a meeting with the speaker in Islamabad.

Asad Qaiser directed Khawaja Asif to move a privilege motion and he would take action against those responsible.

Details of bills
Under the ATC law, banks and financial institutions have been barred from providing loan facility, financial support or credit cards to proscribed persons.

It further says that “a person commits an offence if he knowingly or willfully pays for or provides money or other property or facilitate in any manner the travel of a person anywhere for the purpose of perpetrating, participating in, assisting or preparing for a terrorist act or for the purpose of providing or receiving training for terrorist related activities.”

The Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill suggests various amendments to Limited Liability Partnership Act 2017 to ensure compliance with the recommendations on anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism issued by the FATF.

The Companies (Amendment) Bill is aimed at removing deficiencies, including lack of explicit prohibition on issuance of bearer shares or bearer share warrants, lack of obligations for companies to hold beneficial ownership in formation etc.

The Control of Narcotics Substances (Amendment) Bill is aimed at removing a minor deficiency in Section 12 of CNS Act 1997 and restricts the acts of concealment or disguise by making false declaration.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1574104/opposition-again-helps-govt-pass-fatf-related-laws

These crooks wanted an NRO and they gave their demands in writing as Quid pro Quo for their support. If PK is put on the FATF black list the Rp would go to around 250 but that didn't concern them one bit. Badniyaat, anti PK crooks.

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: The Senate on Tuesday passed two more FATF-related bills out of five such laws amid protest by Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) members for not considering their proposed amendments to one of the bills as they were assured by Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and Law Minister Farogh Naseem that their proposed amendments would be considered in the form of a new bill next week.

The Senate passed the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Bill 2020 and the Control of Narcotic Substances (Amendment) Bill 2020 as per conditions of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) to steer the country out of the grey list of the countries in terms of terror financing.

The passage of the two bills had been deferred on Monday following a strong protest by senators belonging to the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam, the JI and the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party and at the requests of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and the Pakistan Peoples Party as the opposition senators wanted to speak on the proposed legislations.

Later in their speeches, the senators of the three parties not only lashed out at the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf for “doing legislation in haste under international pressure”, but also bitterly criticised the country’s two major opposition parties for cooperating with the government in the passage of the crucial laws.

JI assured its proposed amendments to be considered in the form of new bill

Before deferring the two bills, the Senate had already passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2020 amid noisy protest by the senators, mostly from Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The two other bills — the Limited Liability Partnership (Amendment) Bill 2020 and the Companies (Amendment) Bill 2020 — again could not be taken up by the upper house as they have not been cleared by the Senate Committee on Finance and Revenue yet.

All these five bills had already been passed by the National Assembly after the government incorporated a number of amendments suggested by the opposition parties.

After passage of the bills, the PML-N’s Mushahid Hussain Sayed raised the matter regarding issuance of a show cause notice by the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) to Palestinian Ambassador Ahmad Rabaie in Pakistan over alleged violation of the customs act.

The PML-N senator said the FBR had tendered an apology to the ambassador, but it was not acceptable as it had happened at a time when there were talks about recognition of Israel by the Muslim countries.

He said the diplomat was not only served the notice over the import of two cars, but was also asked to appear before the FBR which was a violation of Vienna Convention and other international laws. Moreover, he said, his cars were confiscated which was an “excess” committed with the ambassador of a friendly country.

Mr Sayed also criticised the Foreign Office for remaining silent over the issue though that the matter had been brought to its knowledge last month.

The Senate chairman referred the matter to the committee on foreign affairs headed by Mr Sayed, asking him to present a report before the house.

Leader of the House Shahzad Waseem, however, regretted the PML-N senator’s act of linking the FBR notice to the Palestine issue, terming it “inappropriate.” He said that he was not speaking about the specific issue, but there were reports in the past about the misuse of the facility to import vehicles for diplomats.

Earlier, responding to a question by JI Senator Mushtaq Ahmed, Minister for Economic Affairs Makhdoom Khusro Bukhtiar through a written reply informed the Senate that 15 countries and international organisations had committed to provide $3302.06 million to Pakistan as loans, grants and technical assistance in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic. Out of total committed amount, he said, $2660.35m had been disbursed so far.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1575190/senate-passes-two-more-fatf-related-bills

 

[MenInG]

The government on Wednesday managed to pass three crucial Financial Action Task Force (FATF) related laws in a joint session of the parliament that was marred by the opposition's protests.

Prime Minister Imran Khan also attended the joint session which was chaired by National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser. Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif, PPP chief Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Jamaat-i-Islami senators Sirajul Haq and Mushtaq Ghani and PPP Senator Raza Rabbani among others were also in attendance.

As soon as the session began, Adviser to the Prime Minister on Parliamentary Affairs Dr Babar Awan tabled the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Waqf Properties Bill which was initially passed through a voice vote.

However, the NA speaker asked for a vote count with members being asked to stand up from their seats after the opposition shouted in protest. The bill was passed with 200 members voting in favour and 190 voting against it.

A clause by clause reading was done with each clause being approved by the house. Amendments to certain clauses were proposed but rejected by the house through a voice vote. The ruckus continued as opposition members chanted slogans during the voting on amendments in the clauses of the bill.

JI Senator Mushtaq Ghani, who introduced amendments in several clauses, angrily accused the speaker of "passing legislations illegally". He also claimed that the speaker had not allowed him to speak on his turn.

Opposition members also insisted on speaking while amendments were being introduced but Qaiser insisted that only lawmakers who wanted to move amendments should address the parliament. When opposition lawmakers continued to make noise, the speaker asked Awan to read out the rules regarding addressing while voting was underway. According to Rule 130, Awan said, only lawmakers who wanted to move amendments were allowed to speak while voting was underway.

Amid the racket, PTI MNA Maleeka Bokhari introduced amendments in several clauses of Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, all of which were passed.

While Bokhari was reading out proposed amendments, the opposition walked out. The Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, which was then tabled by Awan, was also passed through voice voting without any opposition.

PTI MNA Faheem Khan tabled the Anti-Terrorism Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 which was also passed without opposition.

According to the ATA (Amendment) Bill, 2020, the investigating officer, with the permission of the court, can conduct covert operations to detect terrorism funding, track communications and computer system by applying latest technologies in 60 days. The bill was rejected by the Senate earlier today.

After the parliament passed the bills, the prime minister thanked lawmakers who voted in favour of the legislations for "standing with their country".

Earlier, PPP Senator Raza Rabbani had raised objections over Awan tabling the bill, saying that according to a court judgement, advisers do not have the power to move bills in the assembly. Law Minister Farogh Naseem, in response, said that the judgement quoted by Rabbani was regarding the special assistants of the prime minister.

Naseem said that there was no law against advisers tabling bills in the National Assembly, however, they cannot vote.

Awan also tabled the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill, 2019 in the house, which was also passed.

The house also passed a bill regarding the rights and inclusion of differently-abled persons in the society that was passed by Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari. The house was being chaired by Senate Speaker Sadiq Sanjrani at this point.

FATF-related bills blocked by Senate
President Arif Alvi called a joint sitting of both houses of Parliament today and the government is trying to get the three FATF-related bills passed, sources had said.

These bills include the Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill, the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill and the Anti-Terrorism Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020, all of which were previously rejected by the Senate.

Last month, the 104-member Senate had rejected the Anti-Money Laundering (Second Amendment) Bill and the Islamabad Capital Territory Waqf Properties Bill, both of which are also FATF-related, objecting to some of the provisions and linking its cooperation to retraction of remarks made by Leader of the House Dr Shahzad Waseem about certain leaders.

Earlier, during today's Senate session, 31 members had voted in favour of passing the bill on terror financing while 34 voted against it. The Anti-Terrorism Act (Amendment) Bill, 2020 was rejected a day after it was passed by the National Assembly, making it the third FATF-related legislation to have been blocked by the opposition-dominated upper house.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1580007/a...n-joint-session-marred-by-opposition-protests

 

[Syed1]

Ghadar opposition pay lanat top trend in Pakistan

 

[Bewal Express]

If proof were ever needed of why PK went close to bankruptcy under the Nooras and PPP, then no look further then this FATF vote. Its time the ISI got to work.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Does it really matter if Pakistan did get Blacklisted ? China has all the money in the world and they would just fund for all or most of Pakistan's needs if FATF did blacklist Pak... This is just drama and nothing more...

 

[the Great Khan]

[MENTION=1269]Bewal Express[/MENTION] does anyone know where I can read whats in the waqf bill that got passed yesterday? or a summary?

 

[saeed5646]

Does it really matter if Pakistan did get Blacklisted ? China has all the money in the world and they would just fund for all or most of Pakistan's needs if FATF did blacklist Pak... This is just drama and nothing more...

You think only Pakistan is desperate for china money . Wake up dude

 

[Syed1]

[MENTION=1269]Bewal Express[/MENTION] does anyone know where I can read whats in the waqf bill that got passed yesterday? or a summary?

TGK... Here you go:
http://na.gov.pk/en/bills.php?status=pass


All bills passed since gov took office in 2018

 

[the Great Khan]

TGK... Here you go:
http://na.gov.pk/en/bills.php?status=pass


All bills passed since gov took office in 2018

ok thanks..

 

[MenInG]

ISLAMABAD: A virtual meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary scheduled for Oct 21-23 will decide if Pakistan should be excluded from its ‘grey list’, based on a review of Islamabad’s performance to meet global commitments and standards on fight against money laundering and terror financing (ML&TF).

The FATF plenary was earlier scheduled in June but Islamabad got an unexpected breather after the global watchdog against financial crimes temporarily postponed all mutual evaluations and follow-up deadlines in the wake of grave health risk following Covid-19 pandemic. The Paris-based agency also put a general pause in the review process, thus giving additional four months to Pakistan to meet the requirements.

In February, the FATF had given Pakistan a four-month grace period to complete its 27-point action plan against ML&TF committed with the international community when it noted that Pakistan had delivered on 14 points but missed 13 other targets. On July 28, the government reported to parliament compliance with 14 points of the 27-point action plan and with 10 of the 40 recommendations of the FATF.

Islamabad was placed on grey list in June 2018 due to ‘strategic deficiencies’

By Sept 16, however, the joint session of the parliament amended about 15 laws to upgrade its legal system matching international standards as required by the FATF. The government has already submitted its report to the FATF and its affiliated review groups and responded to their comments, detailing compliance with the 13 outstanding action points.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

Based on upgraded legislation, the authorities expect the ‘virtual meeting’ to describe Pakistan as ‘largely compliant’ on at least 10 action points even if it was not given a formal exit from the grey list though it would now depend on the FATF assessment.

The FATF had announced in February that all deadlines given to Pakistan to complete 27-point action plan had expired and yet only 14 items had largely been completed leaving 13 unaccomplished targets. It strongly urged Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by June 2020 or else it would be moved to the list of monitored jurisdiction, commonly known as blacklist.

The plenary had formally placed Pakistan in the grey list in June 2018 due to ‘strategic deficiencies’ in its AML/CFT regime after a push from India supported by the US, the UK and some European countries. The Pakistan government then committed at the highest level to a 27-point action plan but failed to meet deadlines.

The country’s compliance with the 13 remaining action points will be reviewed in eight key categories. The FATF will examine if the country had demonstrated remedial actions and sanctions applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, relating to terrorist financing (TF) risk management and TFS (terror financing sanctions) obligations.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

The FATF will also judge if competent authorities were cooperating and taking action to identify and taking enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS) and had proven implementation of cross-border currency and bearer negotiable instruments (BNI) controls at all ports of entry, including applying effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

Pakistan has also to determine if law enforcement agencies (LEAs) were identifying and investigating the widest range of terror financing activity and that TF investigations and prosecution target designated persons and entities, and those acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities besides showing TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions.

The country’s outstanding action areas also include effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1,267 and 1,373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services.

Pakistan’s performance will also be under scrutiny at the virtual meetings later this month on enforcement against TFS violations including administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases and whether facilities and services owned or controlled by designated person were deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources.

ARTICLE CONTINUES AFTER AD

Published in Dawn, October 5th, 2020



https://www.dawn.com/news/1583295/fatf-to-decide-about-pakistan-status-this-month

 

[the Great Khan]

this is entirely geopolitically motivated. Look at the money laundering news coming out from other countries. Its entirely created by our enemies to harm our people. they are not satisfied with killing children in our schools but want to impoverish them before they kill them too.

 

[Abdullah719]

FATF satisfied with Pakistan progress but maintains grey list status for now

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has decided to maintain Pakistan’s status on its ‘grey list’ of countries with inadequate control over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing, media has reported.

Talking to media via video link, the FATF President Marcus Pleyer said, “The plenary has decided to keep Pakistan in ‘grey list’ until February 2021 despite the country has successfully complied with 21 out of 27 points of action”

The global watchdog reviewed Pakistan’s progress on the 27-point action plan for addressing anti-money laundering and terror financing.

“Pakistan has to do more,” said the FATF President. “To date, Pakistan has made progress across all action plan items and has now largely addressed. As all action plan deadlines have expired, the FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2021.”

Commenting on a query about whether Pakistan in safe from the black list or not, he said, “Let me clear, Pakistan is in the gray list, the country has made great progress and the government has cooperated too. We hope by our next deadline they would address the remaining six points of action.”

https://www.brecorder.com/news/4002...ogress-but-maintains-grey-list-status-for-now

 

[Abdullah719]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Instead of current Action Plan, discussions remained focused on how Pak can be facilitated for our upcoming 2nd evaluation (MER), due mid next year. <br>I congratulate our Federal and Provincial Teams who have worked day and night even during the pandemic to ensure this turn around.</p>— Hammad Azhar (@Hammad_Azhar) <a href="https://twitter.com/Hammad_Azhar/status/1319647319143387136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Syed1]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FATF acknowledges Pakistan has completed 21 action items of total 27, remaining 6 are partially completed. No incomplete action items now. Significant progress being made in past year, so hopefully we'll hear good news soon. To India's disappointment, no chance of blacklist now. <a href="https://t.co/gi1mfij56f">pic.twitter.com/gi1mfij56f</a></p>— Musa (@MusaNV18) <a href="https://twitter.com/MusaNV18/status/1319652629363019784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Local.Dada]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FATF acknowledges Pakistan has completed 21 action items of total 27, remaining 6 are partially completed. No incomplete action items now. Significant progress being made in past year, so hopefully we'll hear good news soon. To India's disappointment, no chance of blacklist now. <a href="https://t.co/gi1mfij56f">pic.twitter.com/gi1mfij56f</a></p>— Musa (@MusaNV18) <a href="https://twitter.com/MusaNV18/status/1319652629363019784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Is the bigger problem Pakistan still being in grey list or indias disappointment of Pak not being in blacklist .

 

[Bewal Express]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">FATF acknowledges Pakistan has completed 21 action items of total 27, remaining 6 are partially completed. No incomplete action items now. Significant progress being made in past year, so hopefully we'll hear good news soon. To India's disappointment, no chance of blacklist now. <a href="https://t.co/gi1mfij56f">pic.twitter.com/gi1mfij56f</a></p>— Musa (@MusaNV18) <a href="https://twitter.com/MusaNV18/status/1319652629363019784?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 23, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Great Work. But its interesting that both UK and Ind should be in the grey list for money laundering

 

[Local.Dada]

This headline reminds me of a time when a teacher told one of my friends parents, good effort from your son when he scored 11/100 in his exam when usually he used to get 0.

FATF satisfied but Puts Pakistan on a grey list, am I the only one who sees irony here

 

[Star_Coffee]

Is the bigger problem Pakistan still being in grey list or indias disappointment of Pak not being in blacklist .

You are an Indian, do tell us.

 

[Star_Coffee]

This headline reminds me of a time when a teacher told one of my friends parents, good effort from your son when he scored 11/100 in his exam when usually he used to get 0.

FATF satisfied but Puts Pakistan on a grey list, am I the only one who sees irony here

did you have friends? they way you sound bitter and salty I doubt you do

 

[Syed1]

Great Work. But its interesting that both UK and Ind should be in the grey list for money laundering

FATF is just a political tool. Good on Pakistan to take the challenge head on. It is helping us to stop money laundering.

 

[Syed1]

did you have friends? they way you sound bitter and salty I doubt you do

All day he goes thread to thread just posting his Hindutva ideology. Quite a miserable life if you ask me.

 

[Local.Dada]

You are an Indian, do tell us.

It does impact me either way unless Pak
Is out of any shades of color and let me tell you why it is not a generic statement.

India is fine- so no worries there

Pakistan- being on grey or black doesn’t matter. What matters is once you have these shades assigned, it is a problem.

In this case it is a bigger problem because Pakistan is a neighbor. Grey might be better than black in this context but it still is a problem and that means there are terrorism and other issues and it does impact India which is a neighbor. Now all those are facts. So there you go hope it answers your question.

 

[Star_Coffee]

It does impact me either way unless Pak
Is out of any shades of color and let me tell you why it is not a generic statement.

India is fine- so no worries there

Pakistan- being on grey or black doesn’t matter. What matters is once you have these shades assigned, it is a problem.

In this case it is a bigger problem because Pakistan is a neighbor. Grey might be better than black in this context but it still is a problem and that means there are terrorism and other issues and it does impact India which is a neighbor. Now all those are facts. So there you go hope it answers your question.

Then why are you gloating if it affects you negatively?

 

[Abdullah719]

This headline reminds me of a time when a teacher told one of my friends parents, good effort from your son when he scored 11/100 in his exam when usually he used to get 0.

FATF satisfied but Puts Pakistan on a grey list, am I the only one who sees irony here

Well, since you put it in mathematical terms, let me help you out.

In early 2019, Pakistan had completed 1 of the 27 points. That means ~3.7 out of 100.

Now, Pakistan has completed 21 of the 27 points. That means ~77.7 out of 100.

That is significant progress by any metric.

Pity about your ‘friend,’ though.

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“Pakistan has to do more,” said the FATF President. “To date, Pakistan has made progress across all action plan items and has now largely addressed. As all action plan deadlines have expired, the FATF strongly urges Pakistan to swiftly complete its full action plan by February 2021.”

Commenting on a query about whether Pakistan in safe from the black list or not, he said, “Let me clear, Pakistan is in the gray list, the country has made great progress and the government has cooperated too. We hope by our next deadline they would address the remaining six points of action.”

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[JaDed]

Irrespective of it being political, this will help Pakistan in the long run with investors , good on them.

 

[GoUgandaCranes]

Irrespective of it being political, this will help Pakistan in the long run with investors , good on them.

This.

I normally am not into politics but lately have been following the developments on this and it seems to be a major blessing in disguise.

The things that are remaining are already partially done and hopefully will be completed however it means that there will be some political maneuvering required by the incumbent government in the next few months.

There's an idiom in Punjabi "kubbay nu latt maari, uddi kamar seedhi ho gai" (hit a hunched guy in the back to hurt him, it straightened his back). This is exactly what has happened in our case related to FATF.

 

[Savak]

What are the benefits of moving from the grey list to the white list?

 

[The Viper]

Pakistan to remain on global terror financing ‘grey’ list

Pakistan will remain on a terrorism financing watch list until it completely implements a set of preventive guidelines, a global watchdog said, urging Islamabad to improve financial controls.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body, praised Pakistan for progress on 21 of 27 recommendations but said the rest must also be implemented.

Last February, Pakistan secured an extra four months to complete the plan after missing 13 of the 27 targets that FATF had set for it in 2018 when it put Pakistan on its “grey list”. The grace period was then extended again because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The so-called “grey list” comprises countries whose controls over “terrorism” financing are deemed inadequate.

“Pakistan needs to do more,” FATF President Dr Marcus Pleyer said at the conclusion of a virtual meeting in Paris on Friday to discuss global financial systems including terror financing.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said ahead of the decision that regional rival India was lobbying for downgrading the country to a more punitive “blacklist”.

The Asia Pacific Group, a regional affiliate of the watchdog, had recommended keeping Pakistan on the grey list because there were still risks of terrorism financing going undetected.

Pakistan’s powerful military is often accused of harbouring fighters to use them as proxies against India and neighbouring Afghanistan.

Pakistan had been on the FATF blacklist for years before it was removed in 2015 following “significant progress” in fighting terror financing. Only Iran and North Korea are currently on the blacklist.

Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, elected in 2018, has been struggling to stamp out threats from armed groups while coming under pressure over painful austerity measures taken to rectify a shaky economy and conform to the terms of its latest International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout.

Separately on Friday, Iceland and Mongolia were taken off FATF’s list of countries under increased monitoring.

The Paris-based organisation also said that fraud linked to coronavirus pandemic was on the rise, with counterfeit medical supplies, economic stimulus measures and online scams hitting governments hard around the world.

https://www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/...financing-grey-list?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Bewal Express]

What are the benefits of moving from the grey list to the white list?

If you are in the grey list Foreign investors are reluctant to invest money as they fear that if the country goes into the black list, the currency would depreciate by probably 15% or more and they wouldn't get a return on the investment and top of that there would be sanctions.

 

[Romali_rotti]

Pakistan should stop trying to get out of the Grey List, I don't think they will ever get out of it.

The whole world knows Pakistan is infested with terror links, these cute acting jobs such as moving their respected, renowned and peaceful citizens like Hafeez Saeeds etc a week or month to jail, which is just before the FAFT meet, is not fooling the world.. ON the contrary it is making Pakistan lose more credibility.

I keep saying, does it matter if Pakistan is on any FATF list ? NO imo, as China can fund all their financial needs, if they cant get any foreign investments.

 

[hoshiarpurexpress]

This is blessing in disguise for pakistan in the long term. It will force the economy to be documented and businesses to do record keeping. Currently i think almost 60-70% of economy in Pakistan is undocumented.
Documented economy means tax can be collected by the government as revenue and accountability for businesses. Current government can push for more legislation to collect taxes.. and tell public their hands are forced because of FATF.