Daily Times

Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi has once again raised fingers on Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) decision against removing Pakistan from the grey list and said that if it were a technical decision then the country would have been added to the white list.

“Now FATF members and the world will have to decide if it is a technical or a politically motivated forum,” he said while addressing the media on Sunday.

He said that India tried to politicise the FATF for political gains to keep Pakistan in the grey list. Qureshi said some forces want the sword of FATF hanging on Pakistan. He hoped that soon Pakistan would be in the white list as the entire action plan of FATF has been implemented.

The foreign minister said that even FATF members have admitted that Pakistan has shown compliance with 26 out of 27 points of the action plan from the anti-money laundering watchdog.

He further rejected that the PTI government is responsible for the inclusion of Pakistan on the FATF grey list and said that it was during PML-N’s tenure when the country was added to the list.

“Rather during our tenure, we amended 14 laws and introduced some new ones to show compliance on FATF action plan,” Qureshi said.

Speaking on South Punjab issues, Shah Mahmood Qureshi said that a piece of land has been identified for the Bahawalpur secretariat and after the South Punjab secretariat in Multan, its foundation would also be laid by the incumbent government. “We have identified a 30-acre land in Bahawalpur for a secretariat and soon its foundation will be laid,” he said.

The foreign minister said that the establishment of a GOR and a secretariat will be established on 63-acre land that has been transferred for the purpose. He said that Rs189 billion have been earmarked for South Punjab uplift projects and they would ensure that the money is spent on the projects announced.

“We have fulfilled our promise of a separate development plan for South Punjab and will ensure that every single penny of it would be spent by the end of the fiscal year,” the PTI vice chairman said, adding that being the top party leader he is responsible for ensuring enforcement of PTI’s political agenda.

Talking about Afghanistan, the foreign minister expressed fear that a civil strife could be started after the withdrawal of US forces which will lead to destabilisation in the region. He said Pakistan wants a peaceful and prosperous Afghanistan which will bring stability in the entire region. He said Pakistan Army has eliminated terrorism from the country after rendering numerous sacrifices.