French envoy says 'pressure will be kept on Pak' to note if commitment to FATF is fulfilled

French ambassador to India Emmanuel Lenain on Monday stressed that his country will continue to keep pressure on Pakistan to see whether the Islamic State is fulfilling its commitment to the Financial Action Terror Force (FATF).

On being asked about Pakistan and its commitment to the Paris-based global anti-terror funding watchdog, the ambassador told reporters here, "Nobody can say Pakistan is fulfilling its commitment. There is a need to keep pressure on Pakistan. We are very strict on that and it is not an issue which we take lightly."

"We are very straight on that and it is not an issue which we should take lightly," the ambassador added.

The task force has kept Pakistan on its grey list for an extended period up to February 2020 and warned that Islamabad would be put on the blacklist if it did not comply with the remaining 22 out of 27 points related to anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing. It further granted an extension to the country till February 2020 in a meeting in October this year.

Pakistan submitted its compliance report comprising answers to 22 questions to the watchdog on December 7.

The report detailed actions taken by Pakistan against the United Nations-terrorists groups as well as sentences handed to them by the courts, according to Geo News.

In the report, Pakistan claimed that it has provided alternative employment to those associated with UN-designated terror groups and has taken over the control of over 113 madrassas.

Islamabad is hoping that the watchdog extends the current deadline of complying to FATF's 27 action plans from February to June 2020 in its upcoming plenary review meeting as the current deadline is too short.

The first formal response from the FATF is awaited till this month-end.