Facing the prospects of FATF Blacklisting, Pakistan Army Chief (COAS) General Bajwa has asserted that Islamabad is leaving no stone unturned to eradicate the evil of terrorism from Pakistan while working to achieve sustainable peace and stability in the South Asian region.
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Pakistan Army Chief was addressing the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) in London and recommended that all countries should come forward and collaborate with each other in “wiping out terrorism” from the region.
“We are doing our best, employing all available sources to wipe out the enemies of peace and prosperity but it is a fact that peace and stability in South Asia was dependent on the resolution of conflicts and disputes in the region,” The Nation quoted Bajwa.
“We recommend all nations, especially our neighbouring nations (in an indirect reference to India), to come forward and collaborate with each other in wiping out terrorism as it is a common enemy. We have suffered a lot in the past and would not like to suffer in future. We are pleased to inform you that this platform that Pakistan has been moving towards attaining sustainable peace and stability,” Bajwa said.
Bajwa further stated, “Enhanced security and stability in the country creates a robust platform for foreign investment in Pakistan. However, the future of sustaining peace and stability in the South Asian Region pivots on the ability to address long-standing conflicts and disputes.”
The Pakistan Army Chief affirmed that “A better security will pave the way for FDI in Pakistan and in fact, the foreign investment plays a pivotal role for regional coordination.”
Bajwa’s remarks were in an indirect response to FATF who have warned Islamabad to “quickly” complete its action plan to restrain terror financing by October or risk being downgraded (from greylist to blacklist).
The Asia Pacific Group (APG) has conveyed to Pakistan that an evaluation of its actions against eight banned terror groups, including Lashkar-e-Tayyaba (LeT) and Jaish-e-Muhammad (JeM), Hafiz Saeed led Jamaat-ud Dawa after it was grey-listed by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) for terror financing has found that its compliance on 18 of 27 action plans was inadequate. Pakistan is currently on the “grey list” of countries that ate lacking in controlling money laundering and terror financing.
