Pakistan has been given a stern message by almost all Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member countries, barring Turkey and Malaysia, to honour the remaining 13 action plan items by the June 2020 FATF plenary, Times of India reported on February 20. This would include conviction and prosecution of top leaders of all terrorist organisations, as required under the FATF action plan. Indian diplomatic sources said Pakistan has long been trying to politicise the technical process of FATF, something that is proven beyond doubt from the recent statements of leadership of Turkey and Malaysia. FATF members have been requested to take note of this.
Earlier on February 19, Pakistan avoided getting into the black list at the ongoing FATF plenary session, with a key sub-group, International Cooperation Review Group (ICRG), recommending that it remain on the
grey list. Malaysia, Turkey and China supported Pakistan. A final decision by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) will be announced on February 21. The reviewers presented the findings of the Asia-Pacific Group (APG), a sub-group of the FATF which met in Beijing in January, at the ICRG meeting in Paris on Tuesday, which completed the ICRG process. The findings will now be presented at the FATF plenary, which will be completed on February 21.