global terror-financing watchdog takes Pakistan off list

Former Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar speaks during an interview with Reuters in the lawns of her residence in Muzaffargarh, Punjab province April 9, 2013. (MOHSIN RAZA / REUTERS)

ISLAMABAD – The Financial Action Task Force has removed Pakistan from its grey list after the country largely addressed its entire action plan items, according to a statement released by the FATF on Friday.

Pakistan's State Minister on Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said in a tweet that Pakistan is off the increased monitoring list of the international terror-financing watchdog due to the hard work of government officials and concerned offices in Pakistan

State Minister on Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar said in a tweet that Pakistan is off the increased monitoring list of the international terror-financing watchdog due to the hard work of government officials and concerned offices in Pakistan.

"This has been a long and arduous journey that has only been made possible through strong political ownership across the political spectrum. It shows Pakistan can achieve much when we work together for Pakistan's interest," Khar said.

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Pakistan was added to the grey list in 2018, and the country had been trying hard since then to ensure the watchdog about its effective steps to combat terror financing.

The FATF said in a handout that Pakistan has strengthened the effectiveness of its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing regime and addressed technical deficiencies to meet the commitments of its action plans regarding strategic deficiencies that the FATF identified in June 2018 and June 2021.

The handout stressed that the country would continue to work with the Asia-Pacific Group to further improve its AML/CFT system.

READ MORE: FATF to keep working with Pakistan to curb terrorism financing

Pakistani Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif felicitated the country on its success on the international front on Friday, saying that "exiting the FATF grey list is a vindication of our determined and sustained efforts over the years."