The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Friday said that Pakistan has taken steps towards improving its anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism regime, however it needs to take more steps to address its strategic deficiencies, according to a statement posted on the watchdog’s website. “Since June 2018, when Pakistan made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and APG to strengthen its AML/CFT regime and to address its strategic counter-terrorist financing-related deficiencies, Pakistan has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including by operationalising the integrated database for its currency declaration regime,” the FATF statement said. “Pakistan has revised its TF risk assessment; however, it does not demonstrate a proper understanding of the TF risks posed by Da’esh, AQ, JuD, FiF, LeT, JeM, HQN, and persons affiliated with the Taliban,” the statement maintained. The FATF sais Pakistan should continue to work on implementing its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies, including by: Watchdog says Islamabad has taken steps to improve its AML/CFT regime but needs to take more measures to address ‘strategic deficiencies’ (1) Adequately demonstrating its proper understanding of the TF risks posed by the terrorist groups above, and conducting supervision on a risk-sensitive basis; (2) Demonstrating that remedial actions and sanctions are applied in cases of AML/CFT violations, and that these actions have an effect on AML/CFT compliance by financial institutions; (3) Demonstrating that competent authorities are cooperating and taking action to identify and take enforcement action against illegal money or value transfer services (MVTS); (4) Demonstrating that authorities are identifying cash couriers and enforcing controls on illicit movement of currency and understanding the risk of cash couriers being used for TF; (5) Improving inter-agency coordination including between provincial and federal authorities on combating TF risks; (6) Demonstrating that law enforcement agencies (LEAs) are identifying and investigating the widest range of TF activity and that TF investigations and prosecutions target designated persons and entities, and persons and entities acting on behalf or at the direction of the designated persons or entities; (7) Demonstrating that TF prosecutions result in effective, proportionate and dissuasive sanctions and enhancing the capacity and support for prosecutors and the judiciary; (8) Demonstrating effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions (supported by a comprehensive legal obligation) against all 1267 and 1373 designated terrorists and those acting for or on their behalf, including preventing the raising and moving of funds, identifying and freezing assets (movable and immovable), and prohibiting access to funds and financial services; (9) Demonstrating enforcement against TFS violations including administrative and criminal penalties and provincial and federal authorities cooperating on enforcement cases; (10) Demonstrating that facilities and services owned or controlled by designated person are deprived of their resources and the usage of the resources. “Given the limited progress on action plan items due in January 2019”, the FATF said, “Pakistan should swiftly complete its action plan, particularly those with timelines of May 2019.” Published in Daily Times, February 23rd 2019.