Pakistan’s efforts to combat coronavirus
Zubair Qureshi
Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator A. Rehman Malik pens letter to Marshall Billingslea President Financial Action Task Force (FATF) pleading him to remove the name of Pakistan from FATF’s Grey List in wake of Coronavirus outbreak to enablethe country to exercise our full potential against the pandemic.
A copy of the letter was also sent to US President Donald Trump with the request to withdraw the complaint against Pakistan in FATF, in view of the above coronavirus disaster.
In his letter, Senator A Rehman Malik says, ‘’I write to express our complete solidarity with the committee of nations, in the war against COVID-19 pandemic that is inflicting the globe and has also not spared your country.’’
Referring to the earlier correspondence, he writes that he had, earlier sent a letter to President FATF to solicit actions against India for financing and money-laundering, besides harboring International fugitives accused of serious crimes and money laundering, vide his letter of 25-Jan-2020.
‘’Sadly, no action was taken, which has accentuated the conditions for Pakistan, who had been, instead, discriminately, accused of similar allegations, and placed on FATF’s Grey List.
This unilateral action has not only caused immeasurable sufferings for the people of Pakistan but has also lent a severe blow to its economy’’, Senator Rehman Malik said.
He expresses that much water has flown under the bridges as the world is now slipping into force majeure situation as it confronts the COVID-19 Pandemic.He writes ‘’with the out-break of the COVID-19 Pandemic, and ensuing human tragedies, closure of production units, damage to the social fabric, and severe strains on the global supply chains, the threats to Pakistan’s economy has increased manifold.’’ He added thatthe unmitigated spread of COVID-19, due to lack of sufficient resources driven by financial restrains, is a regional mega-human tragedy in waiting.
‘’The ongoing pandemic is pushing all states towards rapidly escalating economic regression, threatening the human security and brewing severe socio-economic imbalances that are ripening to trigger massive migration issues in the region’’ his letter read.
He noted that as the situation in Pakistan inches towards a complete closedown, the economic clamp-downs in form of FATF placements could have harrowing results, beyond the control of any state or states.
Senator Rehman Malik concludes his letter with following words, ‘’I, therefore, solicit your review of the circumstances, particularly in the light of COVID-19 Pandemic and the ensuing humanitarian concerns, to remove the name of Pakistan from the FATF’s Grey List, enabling us to exercise our full potential in collaborating in the global fight against the pandemic.’’
