Poor Folks Turn Victims Of Money Laundering In Pakistan; Thousands Hit While PM Imran Khan Promises ‘Action’

Many innocent people are falling prey to Pakistan’s money laundering schemes, the latest one being a rickshaw driver named Mohammad Rasheed. Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has promised to take adequate steps to curb money laundering in the country.

Rasheed, while checking his bank statement, found out that a transaction of USD 22.5 million passed through his account, leaving him aghast. He was later summoned by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

He was quoted by Economic Times as saying, “I stopped driving my rented rickshaw on the roads because of the fear that some other investigating agencies might pick me up. My wife fell sick because of the tension.”

Prime Minister Imran Khan has said that stringent action will be taken against those involved in money laundering and corruption cases. Many poor people have been victims of fear, shame and ridicule because of the given situation they have been exploited in. Just about a month ago, Supreme Court of Pakistan constituted a body to look into the matter. The commission found out that at least USD 400 million had been laundered through several thousand false accounts.

Due to this, a watch-list by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) named Pakistan for failing to act against money laundering.