Rehman Malik urges govt to move ICJ over biased FATF decision

ISLAMABAD: Former Interior Minister and Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior Senator Abdul Rehman Malik has strongly reacted to the FATF decision of keeping Pakistan on the grey list until June despite significant progress, and has termed the decision as highly biased and influenced by anti-Pakistan propaganda.

He urged the government to move International Court of Justice against FATF for biased decision. “What a gross injustice to Pakistan that FATF again kept Pakistan on its grey list till June 2021 while Pakistan has implemented 24 demands out of 27,” he said while reacting on the decision.

Senator Abdul Rehman Malik said that instead of removing Pakistan’s name, FATF announced, “Pakistan remains under increased monitoring”.

He asked the government to adopt aggressive policy and drag FATF to the International Court of Justice for being highly biased.

He questioned President FATF Marcus Pleyer, “what was the need to praise Pakistan when despite significant progress yet the FATF failed to take Pakistan out of the grey list. “It is a hypocritical statement by President FATF whereas Pakistan has already lost $38 billion because of being on the grey list.”

He said that he had lodged a formal complaint to FATF with all evidence against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his associates for their involvement in money-laundering and terror financing but despite all evidence, FATF has refused to initiate any action against them.

“Will the FATF cover our huge economic loss because of its discrimination, he asked, adding that Pakistan should react strongly instead of falling into FATF trap. He said that the government should not start praising FATF to reciprocate their hollow praises. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must not take any credit for praises or not being placed on the blacklist but should react over keeping Pakistan on the grey as the fact is that we were not out of the grey list, and will be further hammered under increased monitoring.”

He said that on the demand of FATF, Pakistan has done extensive legislation and amendments in various laws while no such demands were ever made from any country of the world.

He said that he had predicted and stated publicly that FATF will not remove Pakistan from its grey list till the issue of Afghanistan is resolved. He urged the government to move ICJ against the biased decision of FATF where no action against India is being initiated while Pakistan is discriminated time and again.