FATF-related legislation to move Pakistan to watchdog's white list: FM Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday claimed that PML-N offered him the slot of foreign minister in their previous government but he rejected it and joined Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), ARY NEWS reported.

I had options to join both PML-N and PTI in 2013 but preferred the latter option, he said while addressing a press conference today and added that political pundits at that time criticized his decision.

Speaking over FATF-related legislation from the Parliament, the foreign minister said that India wanted to drag Pakistan to the blacklist of the anti-money laundering watchdog and it could lead to international sanctions on the country.

“This FATF-related legislation will move us to the white list from grey list,” he said and lamented that opposition was opposing the move and had linked its passage with the approval of its other conditions.

Responding to amendments proposed by the opposition parties in accountability law, he said that accepting their conditions would completely halt the accountability process.

“Why should we fear anyone when we have not availed any benefits?” he responded and said that he was in the opposition ranks during Musharraf tenure but no corruption allegations were levelled against him even at that time.

Read More: Ordinances relating to FATF, Kulbhushan Jadhav tabled in Senate

He rejected any changes in the NAB-related bill for facilitating a certain personality and said that they could not support the proposed changes from the opposition in the accountability law.

He said that they would not make any compromise over the accountability process and it would continue unabated.

Further responding to Bilawal Bhutto’s criticism on Kulbhushan Jadhav-related ordinance, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that it was meant to implement the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling against the Indian spy rather than facilitating him.