Paris: The Paris-based Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has once again retained Pakistan on the increased monitoring list, also known as the “grey list” and called the country to work on “complex money laundering investigations and prosecutions.”
This decision was made after the conclusion of the four-day FATF Plenary from March 1-4.
Pakistan has been on the FATF’s grey list for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes since June 2018. This greylisting has adversely impacted its imports, exports, remittances, and limited access to international lending.
“Since June 2021, Pakistan has taken swift steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime and completed 6 of the 7 action items ahead of any relevant deadlines expiring, including by demonstrating that it is enhancing the impact of sanctions by nominating individuals and entities for UN designation and restraining and confiscating proceeds of crime in line with Pakistan’s risk profile,” the FATF said in a statement.
Meanwhile, the global financial watchdog also added the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to its “grey” watchlist.