Pakistan Gets 3-Months Reprieve From Terrorists Financing Watchlist, Thanks To ‘Troop Diplomacy’

Pakistan has been given a three-month reprieve by a global watchdog over a US-led motion to put the country on a terrorist financing watchlist, Pakistan daily Dawn quoted Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif tweeting on Tuesday.

Member states of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) are at a meeting this week in Paris, where it was expected that they would decide on a US motion — backed by Britain, France and Germany — to have Pakistan added to the so-called ‘grey list’ of countries not doing enough to comply with terrorist-funding regulations.

Mr Asif tweeted that Pakistan’s “efforts have paid (off)” during a Tuesday meeting on the US-led motion, suggesting there was “no consensus for nominating Pakistan”.

He also suggested the meeting proposed a “three months pause” and asked for the Asia Pacific Group, which is part of FATF, to consider “another report in June”.

Pakistani media reported that the US bid to put Pakistan on terror financing watch-list has fallen through.

Times of India quoted Pakistani commentators as claiming that support from the Gulf nations and Pakistan’s recent supply of troops to Saudi Arabia for its war on Yemen swung the issue in its favor.

Moeed Pirzada, a TV anchor, reacted on Twitter that it was good news for Pakistan as FATF failed to reach a consensus and a decision has been delayed. The Gulf Cooperative Council switched sides and supported Pakistan as Army General Qamar Bajwa’s last minute “troop diplomacy” had delivered the result for Pakistan. “… but Indians will come back,” Pirzada warned in his tweet message.

Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US and Senator Sherry Rehman said: “We all want Pakistan to come out of watch list nominations, but so far there’s no indication at all that the voting line up will change in 3 months. Please don’t become complacent and ignore the danger.”