The Trump administration has put forward a motion to place Pakistan on a global terrorist-financing watch-list with an anti-money laundering monitoring group, this report is according to a senior Pakistani official.
A meeting of Financial Action Task Force (FATF) member states is due to take place next week in France, where the organisation could adopt the motion on Pakistan.
Pakistan has been trying to avoid being added to a list of countries deemed non-compliant with terrorist financing regulations by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a measure officials fear could hurt its economy.
Analysts suggest this move is in a long list of measures that US will use to try and exert some control over the country. Holding back aid and additionally, publicizing spats with Pakistan are moves the US administration are using to gain influence over the country.
Pakistan has seen some real development and with the foreign investment seen over the last few years, has strengthened its relationship with China. The Billion dollar Port project in, Gwadar, the South of country and China’s investment in developing the old silk route is something the US is far to aware of and quietly concerned by.
Despite cordial relations on the surface, this has been something that has irritated the United States for the past few years.
Pakistan has a history of being a keen alias to United States and this move has been some as change in power in the region, with China gradually flexing its diplomatic strength.
Pakistan’s finance minister, Miftah Ismail, told agencies the United States and Britain put forward the motion several weeks ago, and later persuaded France and Germany to co-sponsor it.
The motion against Pakistan could be adopted at the FATF meeting scheduled to take place in Paris from February 18 to 23. Pakistan had previously been on the FATF watch-list from 2012 to 2015.
Pakistan’s diplomacy will now be tested as it will urge and try to persuade allies to withdraw the motion, with specific focus on the UK, Germany and France.
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