Pakistan to remain on terrorism financing watch list despite progress

Pakistan is to remain on the terrorism financing watch list until it fully implements preventive guidelines, a global watchdog said on Friday, praising significant developments by Islamabad but urging it to complete the task.

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), an inter-governmental body, praised Pakistan for progress on 26 out of 27 recommendations.

"Pakistan has made significant progress and it has largely addressed most measures," FATF chief Marcus Pleyer said.

But Pleyer said the action plan on financial terrorism still needs to be completed.

He spoke after a meeting in Paris to discuss issues related to global financial systems including terror financing.

The FATF reviewed the progress made by Pakistan since it put the country on its watch list in 2018 for allegedly failing to control financing of terrorist activities.

Military accused

The body said Pakistan’s implementation on 26 points suggested progress since the last review in February, when Islamabad had implemented 24 recommendations.

Pakistan’s powerful military is often accused of harbouring Islamist militants to use them as proxies against India and neighbouring Afghanistan.

Before the FATF pushed for better control, there had been hardly any restrictions on terrorist groups like the Taliban and its affiliates from raising funds in Pakistan.