Pakistan rejects ‘malicious’ Indian campaign ahead of FATF meeting

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has rejected a malicious campaign by Indian Media ahead of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary meeting, ARY News reported on Thursday.

“We categorically reject the orchestrated malevolent campaign against Pakistan by Indian media,” FO spokesperson Asim Iftikhar said in response to media queries on various news items published by Indian media ahead of FATF plenary meeting.

The statement said, “This is not the first time the Indian media has been fed through official leaks to promote misleading, baseless and fabricated propaganda against Pakistan, just before the official FATF meetings.”

The spokesperson further said the FATF and the wider international community have repeatedly acknowledged the steps taken by Pakistan to improve its Anti Money Laundering and Counter Financing of Terrorism regime.

Asim Iftikhar added despite India’s feverish attempts to politicize the process and cast doubts on Pakistan’s efforts and accomplishments, FATF agreed in its June 2022 Plenary meeting that Pakistan had fully completed all substantive and procedural requirements of both its 2018 and 2021 Action Plans.

“Realising that there are no takers of its aspersions within FATF, India is desperately attempting to promote its malicious intentions through a characteristic disinformation campaign. Pakistan has brought this recurring malafide endeavor to the attention of FATF,” he added.

The spokesperson said Indian media and state organs, feeding a mill of lies and propaganda, have no credibility. “Their anti-Pakistan narrative is unfounded and pathological. If anything, these shenanigans only serve to further expose Indian media’s hollow credentials and the malice of its patrons,” he concluded.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is meeting in Paris today to discuss Pakistan’s efforts on the Action Plan against terrorism financing and crimes to exit grey list.

Pakistan is likely to exit the FATF’s infamous grey list after a period of four years as it has successfully complied with the 34-points action plan related to terror financing and money laundering.