FATF and Pakistan

Pakistan has always been at the forefront with the world community on their war against terror: Be it against Taliban, al-Qaeda or any terrorist organization, Pakistan had always a rigid stance whether internally or on global level. In doing so, Pakistan had to pay its price by being on the hit list of the terrorists. Since 9/11, Pakistan has been frequently attacked by the terrorists from within and from the neighbourning countries because of its joint venture with world community against terrorists and their safe heavens. This war has made Pakistan to suffer a colossal loss of property running into billions and sacrifices of more than 70 thousand innocent human lives, who had nothing to do with this global arena against terrorism. Since then both economic growth and peace of country have suffered, a major setback.

It left Pakistan to be one of the most unsafe countries in the world in the eyes of media. Economic de-stability also created law and order situation and raised unemployment in the country. Despite all these sacrifices the world community including FATF alleges Pakistan for supporting policy of harbouring terrorist organizations or non-state actors mainly Jamatud Dawa and Jashe Muhammad. Voices are being heard regarding state sponsoring Kashmir’s Freedom Struggle which is far away from reality. Pakistan has always warmly invited UN or other impartial observers to visit any of Pakistan’s territory to be rest assured that it had neither patronized nor given refuge to any of the terrorists or banned outfits.

On the contrary India had not only been supporting non state agents to carry out a ruthless genocide of the Muslims and minorities in India but it had also been penetrating RAW agents to facilitate terrorists in Balochistan, Sindh and KPK. Kulbhushan Jadev arrest in Pakistan testifies this truth. In its efforts to World Peace, Pakistan not only banned 71 Organisations declared to be terrorist oganisations by UN but it also arrested their top brass and closed their offices and took stern action against their activities. Despite sincere efforts initiated by Pakistan and unprecedented sacrifices against war on terror, Pakistan was put on grey list with a warning to be put on blacklist amidst economic crises mainly springing out of Pakistan’s stance on war on terror and its endeavours to check terror financing.

Pakistan government took many measures to address the concerns raised by FATA but least is being shown in media. Just to highlight few important steps, all moveable and immoveable assets (1092) of Jamatud Dawa and Jashe Muhammad have been taken over by government of Pakistan through respective provinces. Educational institutions and madrassas are being run by Education and hospitals by provincial Health Ministries respectively. Provincial governments have posted administrators to monitor these institutions. Not only have these institutions been completely taken over but the salaries of the staff and the appointment of the staff are made through provincial governments. For the first time there is a complete harmony between all law enforcement agencies and comprehensive mechanism is formulated to check and monitor individuals of all banned organisations effectively. Strict vigilance and monitoring system has been put in place to ensure that no untoward activity happens in these institutes or by individuals. Workers of organization have been categorized into hard core and normal. The hard core people have been arrested and trailed in local courts. Many have been convicted for their association with terror financing and others are being trailed.

There have been a lot of convictions leading such outlaws to be put behind the bars. A lot of people have either been arrested or detained keeping the nature of their crime into account. 4th schedule list is updated and all individuals having any link with terrorism organization have been added in list. Their properties and assets have been seized by the government so that the chances of terror financing may permanently be eliminated. No soft corner seems to have been shown by the government of Pakistan in this context. Due to some loopholes in the previous legislation which dealt softly with such type of people in past necessitated some legislation. This resulted in passing of Charity Law from all provincial assemblies and formulation of Charity Commission to monitor all charity organisations including banned outfits.

Laws regarding the registration of NGOs have also been rehashed and amended bringing them under the fold of charity law. All ghost NGOs have been deregister and process of new registration has introduced many checks to avoid any terror financing. International Community must acknowledge all these efforts of Pakistan and should assist in removing name of the country from grey list.