Daily Times

Pakistan can breathe easy, for now; or at least for the next three months. For American manoeuvring to have this country grey-listed has failed. Though as ever with these things, the devil is always imprinted in the detail. And as far as the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) moot went — no consensus could be reached on the not un-small matter of placing this country on a watch list of nations that are said to financially aid terrorism.

We have, for our part, China, Russia and Turkey to thank for stalling the US motion that also had backing from Britain, France and Germany. But now is not the time for complacency. We have, after all, been granted only a three-month reprieve; after which we will be required to submit a report in June updating the Asia Pacific Group (part of FATF) as to our progress in this regard.

Over all, the entire process has been a close call. Less than two weeks before the Paris powwow, a presidential promulgation saw the civilian leadership take the unilateral move of according those individuals or entities already outlawed by the UN the same status here in Pakistan. In real terms, this meant declaring Hafiz Saeed a terrorist and seizing control of his charities. Thus the three-month window of remission is likely recognition of the political set-up courageously doing the needful when it comes to those whom other state institutions prefer to view as reformed assets.

We therefore urge all Pakistani stakeholders to get on the same page when it comes to this country’s long-term financial health. For as long as those who have untold bloodshed on their hands are allowed to run amok with impunity and raise funds for their so-called philanthropy — it will be the citizenry that suffers the most.

That being said, the grey-list-fail still represents a major diplomatic setback for Washington and its European allies. At the same, time it has also highlighted the important fact that Pakistan is not without regional supporters who are not afraid to stand up to the US; even when one of those also happens to be a member of the NATO war machine. And the message for Washington could not be clearer: the power dynamics in our neck of the woods are visibly shifting; with China already well and truly present and Russia making considerable inroads here, too.

Yet going forward, Islamabad must conform to international norms and laws — even if it feels that it is being unfairly targeted. After all, doing so is in our national interest. For we cannot expect our new best friends to save us each and everytime we falter.  *

Published in Daily Times, February 22^nd 2018.