ISLAMABAD/PARIS – Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar, has arrived in the French capital to attend the crucial Financial Action Task Force (FATF) meeting.
Reports in local media said Pakistani delegation led by the PPP leader held a meeting with Jean-Louis Bourlanges, President of the Foreign Affairs Commission at the French National Assembly.
Both sides exchanged views on bilateral relations including parliamentary cooperation, situation of floods, as well as regional and global issues.
Khar also extended an invitation to the president to visit Pakistan to further strengthen parliamentary contacts and cooperation between the two sides.
Pakistan eyes removal from FATF grey list
Pakistan again hopes to be taken off the ‘increased monitoring list’ also known as the grey list of the global money-laundering watchdog as the Plenary and Working Group Meetings set to begin.
In a statement, FATF said the first Plenary under the two-year Singapore Presidency of T. Raja Kumar will take place on October 20-21, which will be attended by delegates representing 206 members of the Global Network and observer organizations, United Nations, World Bank, Interpol, and other officials.
After the discussions, FATF president Raja Kumar will address a news conference in which he will announce Pakistan’s removal from its infamous grey list. The removal from the grey list will help Islamabad to come clean over deficiencies in the system to avert money laundering and terror financing.
Reports suggest that the FATF team stayed in the country from late August to September 2 and was given a state guest-level protocol. The visit was kept secret however FATF delegation meet concerned officials to verify the steps taken.
Earlier this year, the global money-laundering watchdog hinted at Pakistan’s removal from the grey list as the country complied with the 34-point plan of action and agreed to send its team for the verification of those steps. Pakistan was placed on the grey list in June 2018 for deficiencies in its system to avert money laundering and terror financing.
