PTI govt deserves credit for FATF outcome: Imran Khan

PTI Chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan Friday said Pakistan was nominated for greylisting by FATF in February 2018 and had to complete the most challenging action plan ever given to any jurisdiction.

In a series of tweets, the former premier said when his government took reigns in August 2018  the country “faced dire prospect of blacklisting” by FATF, adding Pakistan’s “past compliance history with FATF was also not favourable.”

Pak was nominated for grey listing by FATF in Feb 2018 & had to complete the most challenging action plan ever given to any jurisdiction. When my govt took over, we faced dire prospect of Blacklisting by that body. Our past compliance history with FATF was also not favourable.

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 17, 2022

“I constituted a FATF Coordination Committee headed by key minister Hammad Azhar. The committee had representation from all government departments and security agencies relevant to our FATF action plan. The officers worked day and night in the first instance to avoid blacklisting,” said Khan.

The PTI chairman further noted that the watchdog “repeatedly praised work and the political will” of his government.

I am confident that prerequisite onsite visit of FATF team to confirm completed work on our action plan will pass successfully too. Hammad Azhar, members of his FATF coord committee & officers who worked on this task performed exceptionally well. The whole country is proud of you

— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 17, 2022

“We not only averted blacklisting but also completed 32 out of 34 action items. We submitted a compliance report on the remaining two items in April based on which FATF now declared Pakistan's action plan as completed,” said the former premier.

The PTI chief said he was confident that Pakistan would successfully pass the on-site visit and FATF will confirm the work completed on the PTI’s government’s action.

He praised Hammad Azhar -- one of the members of his FATF coordination committee and officers -- for working on this task and performing exceptionally well.

"The whole country is proud of you,” said Khan concluded.