The federal government has already approved a second amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2010 to satisfy the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) on making AML regime strong. The amendment would now be placed before the parliament in its session after Eidul Azha. The contents of the amendment have irked the leaders of opposition political parties and have demanded that government should reveal the FATF proposed parameters of amending anti-money laundering law. The most vocal critique against the amendment to the Anti-Money Laundering Act has come from senior PML-N leader and former Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal. He has rejected it as “Grand Father” of NAB Ordinance. It merits mention that parliament had amended the anti-money laundering law four months ago, which FATF found not compatible with the criteria set by this international watchdog for curbing money laundering and terrorism financing. On the pretext of weak anti-money laundering and counterterrorism financing regimes , which remained operational during previous two governments, the FATF put Pakistan on greylist in its plenary session held in June, 2018 in Paris. An action plan of 27 points was given for total compliance, out which action has been completed on 14 points and forward movement on remaining 13 points is on.The bottom line of these points pertain to making the legal and institutional frame work robust and really coming into action to effectively combat the twin menace of money laundering and terrorism financing as envisaged in the provisions of UN Security Resolutions numbering 1267 and 1373. The parameters of FATF mandate have become clear in the recommendation made after the review of Pakistan’s actions by Asia Pacific Group and reviews mad in plenaries of FATF. Next review meeting of FATF will be held in August. The FATF mandate is stressing effective and coordinated actions by the concerned authorities against money laundering and terror financing; concrete investigation against the designated persons and entities believed to be involved in terrorism financing; result oriented prosecution against such designated persons and entities; and effective implementation of targeted financial sanctions, buttressed by comprehensive legal obligations, against all designated persons and entities that fall within the purview of sanctions included in the United Nations Security Council Resolutions numbering 1267 and 1373. What else opposition leaders want to know about proposed parameters of FATF mandate?
