India to corner Pakistan at FATF with evidence of terrorists roaming freely

New Delhi, June 29 (IANS) India is all set to mount pressure on Pakistan at the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) after several videos of terrorists roaming around in the open have surfaced. Pakistan, which had managed to get out of the Grey List of the FATF, is under tight scrutiny after it assured that it would do more to curb terror financing.

The Pakistan establishment is caught between the Devil and the deep sea. On one hand it has to stay out of the FATF’s radar and on the other it cannot afford to displease its proxies such as the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

An official said that Pakistan is making the same mistake that it did with the Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

The JuD is the financial wing of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba and this group was one of the primary reasons why Pakistan got into trouble with the FATF, the official said.

With the JuD in the shadows, Pakistan currently is promoting the Pakistan Markazi Muslim League (PMML), which is affiliated with the Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

The president of the Islamabad wing of the PMML was seen recently attending the funeral of former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar’s brother. He was seen along with Hafiz Talha Saeed, the son of Lashkar-e-Tayiba founder Hafiz Saeed and the LeT’s deputy Saifullah Kasauri.

An Intelligence Bureau official said that the PMML is just a front for these terrorists to roam around in the open. Pakistan is desperately trying to portray internationally designated terrorists as political leaders. This is why there is so much emphasis on ensuring that these persons are visible at public events and other programmes.

The official said that India is collecting all such videos that are being circulated on both PMML and Lashkar-e-Tayiba linked channels. This would be used as proof when the FATF hearing comes up next, the official said.

Another official said that when the FATF had specifically warned Pakistan about its backing of terror groups and the funds that they raise, there is still a brazen show on display.

Pakistan wants to legitimise these persons by adding their names to political outfits, so that these do not come under the scrutiny of international agencies, the official said.

Even when it came to the JuD, the modus operandi was a similar one. While the JuD was not projected as a political outfit, Pakistan claimed that it was a group involved in charity work.

Many top leaders part of the Lashkar-e-Tayiba would be seen at JuD events and Pakistan would project them as charity workers. India however managed to build up a case against these designated terrorists, following which the FATF initiated a probe.

Pakistan remained in the Grey List before being taken out after it assured that it would do more on terror financing.

An official said that Pakistan will never stop backing terror and would do all it can to legitimise terrorists. The formation of the PMML, too, was a step in that direction whereby political legitimacy could be given to terror groups, the official said.

There have been several instances in Pakistan where terrorists have been seen at important events and at time government functions too.

Even serving ISI and Army officials have often attended funerals of terrorists. By sending serving officers of the ISI and Army to attend funerals of terrorists and also publicise it, is clearly Pakistan’s way of trying to tell the world that these events are legitimate ones.

An official said that the case that is being built up is a strong one and Pakistan would find it hard to explain a lot of things before the FATF.

Pakistan is an exporter and backer of terror and hence needs to be repeatedly exposed before the international community, the official added.

The next FATF plenary and Working Group meetings will take place in Paris, France from October 26 to 30 this year.

–IANS

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