Hafiz Saeed has seemingly won the latest round in the ring with the civvies. For the presidential ordinance promulgated by the last government back in February — proscribing individuals and entities already outlawed by the UN Security Council — has lapsed. In real terms, this means that both Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) and Falah-i-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) are no longer banned. And, as such, are free to resume fund-raising. The simple fact is that Pakistan faces a major economic crisis. This is something that Prime Minister Imran Khan understands all too well; as his hectic travel schedule underscores. Indeed, having visited Saudi Arabia twice since assuming office, both times with begging bowl firmly in hand, the man who insisted he would remain homeward bound for the first three months of his tenure is all set to jet into Beijing at the beginning of next month. To seal yet another deal. Yet someone somewhere should have had a quiet word with the premier. To point out that the path towards economic salvation is not to be found in the balancing of friendly loans against those of the IMF. But, rather, in tackling terror-financing head-on. For failure in this regard will essentially fast-track FATF black-listing. Thereby not only impacting Islamabad’s borrowing ability vis-à-vis established multilateral frameworks but also rendering the country a liability for traditional allies.Tellingly, the Task Force delegation that was in town this month to measure progress on this and other fronts gave the country a less than clean bill of health. It is therefore absolutely inexcusable that the ruling PTI did not see fit to extend the amendments to the 1997 Anti-Terrorism Act ahead of the 120-day expiration date. This is not to let the opposition off the hook. For the latter, as part of its check-and-balance mandate, ought to have tabled a resolution towards this end before Parliament. This gross misstep will do nothing to mend ties with the US. For Pakistan has unwittingly cast itself in the role of ineffective broker for regional peace and security. It also reinforces the folly of viewing American complaints through an exclusively Afghan prism. As when Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi recently called on Washington to restore military reimbursements; while vowing to support negotiations with the Taliban to secure the Afghan quagmire. Such myopia will not do. For India is a reality that Pakistan cannot ignore. Especially given that Islamabad had conceded that the US-led motion back in February to have it placed on the FATF grey-list centred heavily on the release of Hafiz Saeed from house arrest. And that this was likely done at New Delhi’s behest. Bluntly put, the country is worse off than before. For unless this question is remedied at the earliest, it is all but guaranteed that Pakistan will be joining the likes of Iran and North Korea on the Task Force blacklist sometime next year. And if that happens, the entire political leadership will be at fault. While the citizenry continues to pick up the tab. None of which is cricket. * Published in Daily Times, October 27th 2018.