Washington, Jan 25 (UNI) Two days after India expressed hope that the FATF in its meeting in February in Paris will 'evaluate' the progress made by Pakistan on terror financing issue, the United States has said that completion of the FATF action plan will be "critical to Pakistan’s economic reform efforts".
"We strongly encourage Pakistan to work with FATF and the international community to fully satisfy its action plan commitments. Completion of the FATF action plan is critical to Pakistan’s economic reform efforts, including its IMF program, as well as for demonstrating sustained and irreversible action against all militant groups based in Pakistan without distinction," Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs, Alice G Wells, said here on Friday.
Answering questions, Ms Wells said: ".....obviously, if Pakistan were not to meet FATF obligations or were to fail and be blacklisted, that would be devastating for Pakistan’s economic reform program and for its ability to attract investors".
Ms Wells also said that on Jammu and Kashmir, she "was pleased to see some incremental steps (taken by Indian government) including the partial return of internet service in Kashmir".
"And the visit by our ambassador and other foreign diplomats to Jammu and Kashmir is something that I know was extensively covered in the press. We see this as a useful step," the top US diplomat said adding, "We also continue to urge the government (of India) to permit regular access by our diplomats, and to move swiftly to release those political leaders detained without charge".
The remark Ms Wells also came close on the heels of Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi stating that Pakistan should be taken off the FATF's 'grey list' as it has made considerable progress on the requirements of the international terror financing watchdog.
"We have been pleased to see progress by Pakistan towards fulfilling FATF obligations. There is a meeting underway currently in Beijing where Pakistan is presenting its actions to the task force. And so I defer to that task force to make its evaluation," Ms Wells further said.
She also maintained 'the more evidence' of Pakistan’s seriousness in both documenting its economy and in shrinking the space for militants is seen - "the more confidence the international community and business community will have in working with Pakistan".
A Pakistani delegation is at present in Beijing to brief anti-terror financing watchdog about the steps taken by Islamabad to implement the recommendations made by the FATF.
On Thursday, MEA spokesman Raveesh Kumar has said in Delhi: "......We presume that the FATF will evaluate the progress made by Pakistan on the basis of a set criteria. Discussions within the body are always confidential; we always wait for FATF to come out with own press release before we react".
He maintained it will not be appropriate to speculate what the decision would be out of the FATF meeting.
But he said in the last meeting in October 2019 in Paris, the international anti-terror financing body had expressed very 'serious concern' with the overall lack of progress made by Pakistan to address its terror financing risks including serious deficiencies in demonstrating understanding of its transnational terror financing lists.
Islamabad has in the past pledged before FATF that it would address the global concerns regarding implementation of the international standard for countering terror financing.
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