FATF denies reports of APG blacklisting Pakistan

PARIS: The Ministry of Finance has rejected the Indian media reports about Pakistan being blacklisted by the (APG) on Friday.

The spokesperson Alexandra Wijmenga clarified that only the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) had the authority to blacklist, not its regional affiliate APG.

According to the spokesperson, the FATF will hold its meeting on October 14th to 18th in Paris and decisions which are taken would be published.

The Ministry of Finance on Friday categorically rejected the Indian media reports about Pakistan being blacklisted by the Asia-Pacific Group, the regional affiliate of the FATF.

A press release from the ministry said, “Media reports circulating about Pakistan being blacklisted by APG is incorrect and baseless.”

It added, “APG has put Pakistan in its enhanced follow-up as per APG’s Third Round Mutual Evaluation Procedures. In line with APG’s Third Round Mutual Evaluation Procedures, Pakistan would be required to submit follow-up progress reports to APG on a quarterly basis.”

The APG in its meeting during the week of 18th to 23rd August adopted Pakistan’s third mutual evaluation report.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi also dismissed the Indian media reports as fake news and propaganda.

While urging the international community to take notice of Indian lies and propaganda, the foreign minister said, “FATF has not placed Pakistan on the blacklist.”

Pakistan is a member of the APG since 2000. APG is a regional body of FATF. According to the sources, the final publication on the APG website is expected in early October 2019.