Ahead of the Financial Task Force Action (FATF) meeting in February, Pakistan has instigated a campaign claiming that the presence of a terror network in the country is a propaganda carried by India. This move has come afoot as an attempt by Pakistan to escape being black listed by the FATF.
The session of the FATF which is scheduled to take place from 22-25 February will decide whether Pakistan will be moved to the ‘black list’. Currently, Pakistan is in the ‘grey list’ and due to the restrictions that come with being put in the list, the Pakistan economy is already suffering. If Pakistan is black listed, it will make it almost impossible for Pakistan to receive funding from global institutions. As a result, Pakistan has banked on a report from a private lab in Europe to get away from FATF sanctions.
Citing the report of EU Disinfolab, Rahman Malik, former Pakistan minister and the present chairman of the Pakistani senate standing committee on interior, wrote to FATF on 25 January, asking them to withdraw Pakistan’s name from the FATF grey list, reasoning that the motion that set Pakistan to be blacklisted was based on India’s vendetta against Pakistan to tarnish the reputation of the country.
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He added that “FATF’s restrictions are negatively impacting the lives of ordinary people of Pakistan, I once again request you to please dismiss the complaint against Pakistan as it was maneuvered by India for its political vendetta against Pakistan, which has now been fully exposed by EU Disinfolab as to how India made fake, baseless and venomous propaganda to harm the reputation of Pakistan. The background work of the Indian propaganda based on criminal activities of Indian government stands fully exposed which you may like to refer and peruse on the DisinfoLab official website,” He added that “Covid-19 pandemic has already damaged Pakistani economy tremendously and the restrictions imposed because of FATF Grey List are further hampering our economy,”
Pakistan was put in the grey list in June 2018 after a motion moved by the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
