PAKISTAN Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi on Monday said that India has been utilizing all means to put his country in the blacklist of the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF).
Pakistan was placed on the grey list by the Paris-based watchdog in June 2018 and was given a plan of action to complete it by October 2019 or face the risk of being placed on the blacklist with Iran and North Korea.
Speaking with the media in Islamabad, Shah Mehmood Qureshi also said that India has been in touch with other countries to push Pakistan in the blacklist of FATF.
“India is still in constant contact with some countries and with their help, it is trying to put Pakistan on the FATF blacklist,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.
The Pakistan foreign minister’s comment comes as a Pakistani delegation visits Paris to present a compliance report before the FATF. The Minister for Economic Affairs Division, Hammad Azhar is heading the delegation.
This was not the first time Pakistan has accused India of trying to push Pakistan in the blacklist of the FATF. The foreign minister had earlier claimed that India was trying to push his country on the FATF blacklist.
Qureshi’s remarks came days after Asia Pacific Group (APG) of FATF released its much-awaited 228-page ‘Mutual Evaluation Report’. The report came days ahead of the key FATF plenary meeting which will give its decision on Pakistan’s ‘grey list’ status.
“India has been opposing Pakistan in the FATF and there is no secret about its intention to push Pakistan on the blacklist,” Shah Mehmood Qureshi said.
(Courtesy: Indian Express)