India to push FATF to put Pak on terror list

NEW DELHI: : India is likely to cite video and other evidence of Pakistan continuing its support to terror outfits, seeking to bring back Islamabad under the ‘Grey List’ of Financial Action Task Force at the Oct meeting of the Paris-based antimoney laundering (AML) and counter-terrorist financing (CTF) watchdog. Pakistan was removed from the ‘Grey List’ in Oct 2022 after it managed to satisfy members of FATF about implementation of a 34- point action plan that included initiating legislative and operational reforms, including AML/CTF mechanisms, on enhanced monitoring of suspicious transactions and politically exposed persons. Countries, under the ‘Grey List’, face increased FATF monitoring and are subjected to periodic review “to address strategic deficiencies in their regimes to counter money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing”. Such countries also face difficulties in accessing funds from global financial institutions. The outcome of any push by India for Pakistan — notorious for being home to jehadi groups behind sensational acts of terrorism in different parts of world — will be interesting to watch, given Islamabad’s successful effort to ingratiate itself with the Donald Trump administration and cast itself as a peacemaker. Nonetheless, with, Vivek Agarwal, secretary in the culture ministry, appointed as vice-president of FATF, New Delhi seems to be keen to exert pressure on the global counter-terrorist financing watchdog to make Pakistan accountable to continuing proliferation of non-state actors within Pakistani territory and use of their financial system for terror activities. After India’s Operation Sindoor, many senior Pakistan army and intelligence officials were seen in videos, circulating on social media, taking part in funerals of terrorists killed in the operation. These are some evidence, besides many others, where state actors are seen participating in gatherings of terror outfits, that can be produced before the next plenary of FATF to bring back Islamabad under enhanced monitoring, or in the ‘Grey List’.