Ahead of the virtual plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) from 21-23 October, India has given “enough evidence” to the global money laundering and terror financing watchdog to establish how Pakistan has failed to take any action against two of India’s most-wanted terrorists, Maulana Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed.
Sources told The Daily Guardian that India’s diplomatic team had been pressed into action in Paris to ensure that Pakistan does not succeed in its mission to get out of the “grey list” of FATF. Sources said Indian diplomats were active in that direction for the past one month. They have been establishing communication with the officials at FATF Secretariat in Paris and other top officials of member countries regarding India’s mission to expose Pakistan.
Indian diplomats shared with the FATF headquarters several important documents exposing Pakistan’s state actors working in collusion with terror elements, sources said.
According to highly-placed sources in diplomatic establishment, FATF is in possession of a detailed account of how Pakistan avoided taking action against Hafiz Saeed, who, as evidence proves, was the main plotter (mastermind) of the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Similarly, the FATF has enough evidence to prove Pakistan’s soft corner for Masood Azhar who has been behind several terror activities in India.
Indian diplomats team
has been lobbying with nominating countries such as the US, UK, France and Germany to ensure that Pakistan continues to be in the grey list of FATF. The FATF will take into consideration all the documents in the plenary meeting.
“In fact, India is sparing no effort to get Pakistan black listed by FATF,” sources said. The officials of US, UK, France and Germany have hinted that FATF is going to come heavily down on Pakistan for its failure to act against terrorists operating from its soil. FATF is convinced that Islamabad did not fulfill its commitment to dealing effectively with terror organisations, say sources.
Moreover, Pakistan has also failed to fulfil six key obligations of the FATF which include action against Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed. Sudden disappearance of more than 4,000 terrorists from its official list has also upset FATF.
According to sources, FATF had given Pakistan a total of 27 action plan obligations for fully curbing terror financing. But it has failed in many of key tasks, sources added.
In its virtual plenary from 21-23 October, the FATF will take a final call on Pakistan’s continuation on the grey list. According to sources, Pakistan is seeking support from China, Turkey and Malaysia to help it avoid the blacklist of FATF. The three nations are said to be its supporters. Indian officials believe that Turkey and Malaysia may not be supporting Islamabad following persuasive efforts by New Delhi. However, Pakistan’s all-weather friend China will stand by it.