New Delhi: Ahead of the terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force’s announcement of its decision on whether Pakistan’s remains in the ‘grey list’ or not, India said that its neighbour had not addressed “six important action items” and continues to be a “safe haven” for terrorist groups.
The virtual three-day plenary of the FATF has been assessing whether Pakistan has done enough to be exempted from the ‘grey list’ or if it should be put in a more stringent ‘black list’. The decision will be announced after the plenary concludes on Friday.
At the weekly briefing on Thursday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Anurag Srivastava noted that after a country is put on a list, an action plan is drawn up and “those found wanting in implementing their obligations are held accountable and subjected to appropriate action”.
Out of the 27 point FATF action plan, Pakistan has addressed 21 items so far, he stated.
Also read: FATF to Review Pakistan’s Performance on Global Commitments to Fight Terror in June
“Six important action items are yet to be addressed. As is well known, Pakistan continues to provide safe havens to terrorist entities and individuals and has also not yet taken any action against several terrorist entities and individuals including those proscribed by the UNSC such as Masood Azhar, Dawood Ibrahim, Zakir-ur-Rahman Lakhvi etc,” added Srivastava.
FATF had initially put Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018. In February this year, FATF allowed Pakistan an additional four months to complete the action plan. At that time, Pakistan had delivered only on 14 out of 27 points.
The four months stretched to eight as the previously scheduled plenary in June was postponed due to the coronavirus.
India also accused Pakistan on Thursday of continuously aiding cross-border terrorism and narcotics smuggling “including through usage of drones and quad-copters”.
“Such violations are regularly highlighted to Pakistan through diplomatic channels and at the regular DGMO level talks,” he said.
Srivastava claimed that Pakistan had carried out 3,800 unprovoked ceasefire violations in 2020.
“Pakistan forces have continued to engage in unprovoked ceasefire violations, often from civilian areas, to support infiltration of terrorists across the LoC. This is a clear violation of the 2003 Ceasefire Understanding between the two sides”.
