Pakistan has potential to play role in Afghan peace process
Observer Report Washington
The US has said it recognises and supports Pakistan’s continued efforts to meet the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) requirements, and acknowledges that the latter has made “significant progress” on the international watchdog’s original action plan agreed in June 2018.
US State Department spokesperson Ned Price made these remarks during a press briefing on Monday while answering a question about Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood accusing India of politicising the FATF to ensure that Pakistan remained on the watchdog’s increased monitoring list, also known as the grey list.
“Well, you’re referring to Pakistan’s obligations under the Financial Action Task Force, and we do recognise, and we support Pakistan’s continued efforts to satisfy those obligations.
Pakistan has made significant progress on its first action plan with 26 of 27 action items largely addressed,” said Price.
He added that the US would “encourage Pakistan to continue working with the FATF and the international community to swiftly complete the remaining action item[s] by demonstrating that terrorism financing, investigations, and prosecutions target senior leaders and commanders of UN-designated groups.”
“We do further encourage Pakistan to expeditiously implement its new second action plan,” he said.
The statement came a day after Hindustan Times quoted India’s Minister for External Affairs S Jaishankar as saying that the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Narendra Modi had ensured that Pakistan remained on the FATF’s grey list.
“Due to us, Pakistan is under the lens of FATF and it was kept in the grey list,” Jaishankar had said while addressing a virtual training programme on foreign policy for BJP leaders, according to the Hindustan Times.
The US State Department spokesperson Ned Price said that Pakistan’s role in the Afghan peace process is important.
He said that Afghanistan’s neighbors do have a role to play for peace in the war-torn country and added that Pakistan has the potential to play its role in this regard.
