FM Qureshi again raised questions on role of FATF forum
MULTAN (92 News) - Foreign Minister (FM) Shah Mehmood Qureshi again raised questions on role of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) forum as saying that Pakistan should have been included on the white list.
Speaking to the journalists, FM Qureshi said that the FATF members have to decide whether this is a technical forum or a political one. "If FATF is a technical forum, then Pakistan should be on its white list," he said. He maintained that India, along with some other powers, has tried to politicise the forum.
"Pakistan has been told that if all the 27 points of FATF are fulfilled, it will be moved to the white list," he said. "The country has successfully implemented 26 points, so it will be removed from the grey list soon."
He rejected that the PTI government is responsible for the inclusion of Pakistan on the FATF grey list and said that it was during PML-N’s tenure when the country was added to the list. “Rather during our tenure, we amended 14 laws and introduced some new ones to show compliance on FATF action plan,” Shah Mahmood Qureshi said.
Violence likely to escalate after US withdrawal from Afghanistan
Commenting on Afghanistan, the foreign minister said that violence is expected to escalate in the country once the US troops withdraw from there. "Pakistan does not want a further influx of refugees from Afghanistan," the foreign minister said.
Lahore blast probe
To a question about the Lahore blast, which claimed three lives and left more than two dozen people injured, the minister said that progress has been made in the investigation related to the incident. "No one will be allowed to play with the peace in Pakistan. The elements behind the Lahore blast will soon be exposed," he added.
Bahawalpur secretariat
He further said that the budget of Punjab has been passed and so will the budget of the federation. Referring on South Punjab matter, "Work on the South Punjab Secretariat will begin in August," he mentioned.
He said that a piece of land has been identified for the Bahawalpur secretariat and after the South Punjab secretariat in Multan, its foundation would also be laid by the incumbent government. “We have identified a 30-acre land in Bahawalpur for a secretariat and soon its foundation will be laid,” he said.
The minister said that establishment of a GOR and a secretariat will be established on 63-acre land that has been transferred for the purpose.
