Money-laundering, terror financing: Rabbani slams UK’s decision to enlist Pakistan with 21 countries

ISLAMABAD: Former chairman Senate Mian Raza Rabbani on Tuesday expressed his concerns on the United Kingdom’s decision to put Pakistan on the list of 21 countries doing money laundering and terrorist financing. “This issue needs to be taken up in a joint sitting of the parliament so that an independent foreign policy could be formulated,” he said in a statement on Tuesday. He said that within 10 days, this is the second action which has been taken by the UK against Pakistan. He said the foreign policy of bowing to international financial imperialists and foreign capitalists by making Pakistan a client state has failed. He said the government has not taken the parliament or the people of Pakistan into confidence on these two discriminatory steps taken by the UK.

He said the government needs to answer that since June, 2018, Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list for deficiency in its counter-terrorism financing and money laundering regimes. It has bulldozed legislation that affects the fundamental rights of Pakistanis guaranteed under the Constitution 1973.

He said the government held the parliament hostage while passing this legislation but it appears that not only the FATF but other European capitals are also not satisfied with these horrific laws.