‘On-site visit a procedural requirement,’ says Khar: Pakistan is one step closer to leaving the grey list.
Foreign Affairs Minister of State According to Hina Rabbani Khar, Pakistan is now “one step away” from being removed from the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) “grey list,” and the planned on-site visit is a procedural requirement.
She was speaking to the media a day after the watchdog revealed that Pakistan had completed the action plan items and had secured an onsite visit.
“The 2018 action plan has been closed, and there is no pending action on Pakistan’s part,” she said.
She revealed that Pakistan had submitted three progress reports to the FATF in relation to a money-laundering action plan issued last year. I am pleased to report that Pakistan completed the entire seven-point action plan a year ahead of schedule.”
Khar said the development spoke volumes about Pakistan’s comprehensive anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing (AML/CFT) reforms and credited the country’s “sustained momentum and result of our efforts.”
“Following the plenary’s fruitful discussions, the FATF has decided unanimously that Pakistan has addressed all technical benchmarks and completed all… action plans – 2018 and 2021.”
She described the FATF’s recognition as “no less than a herculean feat and a remarkable achievement.”
Concerning the on-site visit, the minister stated that it was part of the procedure for removing Pakistan from the “grey list” and would validate the decision.
