ISLAMABAD: An international monitoring agency will assess Pakistan’s efforts to tackle terror financing, among other “key issues,” during a five-day virtual meeting that began in Paris, France, on Monday.
The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a global money-laundering and terror financing watchdog, will also discuss measures to strengthen international action against the “financial flows that fuel crime and terrorism.”
“The FATF will finalize key reports on money laundering and environmental crime, ethnically and racially motivated terrorist financing...,” it said in a statement on Monday.
“It will finalize its second 12-month review of the implementation of revised FATF standards for virtual assets and virtual asset service providers, and guidance on proliferation financing risk assessment and mitigation,” it added.
The results of the FATF plenary will be published on Friday.
Pakistan was placed on FATF’s gray list of countries with inadequate control over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing in 2018.
In February last year, the FATF said Pakistan had until June 2020 to improve its anti-terrorism financing measures – the second four-month extension given to Pakistan to implement the agreed action plan.
Earlier this month, on June 4, Pakistan’s Finance Ministry quoted the Asia Pacific Group’s (APG) results on money laundering, which said that: “Pakistan has achieved compliant/largely compliant rating in 31 out of 40 FATF Recommendations in Technical Compliance.”
“These results prove the sincerity, along with the resolve of the government in complying with FATF requirements...and are a manifestation of a whole of government approach adopted to achieve the same,” the foreign ministry statement said.
It added that an “upgrade of 21 recommendations within this short time remains unprecedented in FATF history.”
Pakistan has also submitted re-rating requests to the APG on four more recommendations for its next follow-up report, which is under review.
“As a result of this substantial progress, the APG has decided to move Pakistan from enhanced (expedited) to enhanced follow-up; and Pakistan will continue to report back to the APG on progress to strengthen its implementation...of measures,” the statement said.
Pakistani efforts against terror funding on agenda as FATF begins virtual meet
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Pakistani efforts against terror funding on agenda as FATF begins virtual meet
- Global watchdog will also discuss key issues to strengthen action against financial flows that “fuel crime and terrorism”
- Pakistan was placed on FATF’s gray list of countries with inadequate control over curbing money laundering and terrorism financing in 2018
Pakistan to play India in T20 World Cup, government says
- Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the ICC’s exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup
- Pakistan’s government says the decision to play India is taken to protect ‘spirit of cricket and to support the continuity of global sport’
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has cleared the country’s cricket team to play India in the T20 World Cup on Feb. 15, the Pakistani government announced late Monday, ending a week-long standoff.
Islamabad announced boycotting the Feb. 15 match in Colombo to protest the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) exclusion of Bangladesh from the T20 World Cup, following Dhaka’s decision to not play matches in India owing to security fears.
On Sunday, ICC Deputy Chairman Imran Khwaja arrived in Lahore for talks with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) officials and Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) President Aminul Islam as the sport’s governing body strived to save the high-stakes T20 World Cup encounter.
PCB Chairman Mohsin Naqvi met PM Sharif late Monday and briefed him regarding the outcomes of high-level deliberations held between the PCB, Bangladesh board and ICC representatives, the Pakistani government said on X.
“The Government of Pakistan has reviewed the formal requests extended to the PCB by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, as well as the supporting communications from Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, and other member nations. These correspondences sought Pakistan’s leadership in securing a viable solution to recent challenges,” the Pakistani government said.
“In view of the outcomes achieved in multilateral discussions, as well as the request of friendly countries, the Government of Pakistan hereby directs the Pakistan National Cricket Team to take the field on February 15, 2026, for its scheduled fixture in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.”
The BCB earlier thanked the PCB, ICC and all others for their positive roles in trying to “overcome recent challenges,” particularly thanking PCB Chairman Naqvi and Pakistani cricket fans for demonstrating “exemplary sportsmanship and solidarity.”
“We are deeply moved by Pakistan’s efforts to go above and beyond in supporting Bangladesh during this period. Long may our brotherhood flourish,” BCB President Islam said in a statement.
“Following my short visit to Pakistan yesterday and given the forthcoming outcomes of our discussions, I request Pakistan to play the ICC T20 World Cup game on 15 February against India for the benefit of the entire cricket ecosystem.”
The dispute stemmed from the ICC’s decision to replace Bangladesh with Scotland last month after Bangladesh refused to play tournament matches in India. Dhaka’s decision followed the removal of Mustafizur Rahman from the Indian Premier League (IPL). He was bought for $1 million by the IPL’s Kolkata Knight Riders, but on Jan. 3 the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) ordered Kolkata to release Mustafizur without a public explanation but amid regional tensions.
Pakistani cricket authorities subsequently announced boycotting the match against India at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Feb. 15. An India-Pakistan fixture is the sport’s most lucrative asset, generating a massive share of global broadcasting and sponsorship revenue.
“This decision [to play India in T20 World Cup] has been taken with the aim of protecting the spirit of cricket, and to support the continuity of this global sport in all participating nations,” the Pakistani government said.
“We remain confident that our team will carry the spirit of sportsmanship and national pride onto the field as they compete for global glory.”
