FATF-APG places Pak in Enhanced Expedited Follow Up list

In a major setback for Pakistan, the Global Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) regional affiliate Asia-Pacific Group (APG) has put the country in the Enhanced Expedited Follow Up List, sources in the Intergovernmental organization said on Friday.

The category is reserved for the countries having major deficiencies in their Anti Money Laundering and counter financing of terrorism framework and implementation.

The country had been under the FATF radar for its apparent complicity towards terror groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), among others. In addition, terrorists like Hafiz Saeed are regularly seen ranting anti-India rhetoric and collecting the so-called "donations" in their "charitable organisations" to fuel unrest in the neighbouring country.

The FATF had recently given a stern message to Pakistan to "swiftly" complete its action plan to curb terror financing by October or face consequences by getting itself blacklisted, which could pose problems to the country's already stagnant economy.

The development is a major victory for India, which has charged Pakistan with failing to take concrete action against Hafiz Saeed, Maula Masood Azhar and other UN-designated terrorists.

Following the designation as a global terrorist by the UN in May, Azhar has been shifted to a safe house in Islamabad from his residence in Bahawalpur by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), sources said in May. Pakistan has been hiding Azhar and his relatives from the public glare ever since the terror group carried out the gruesome Pulwama attack in February, which killed 40 CRPF personnel, fearing a direct Indian strike on him.