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A6 WORLD NEWS
Saturday 18 June 2022
Pakistan to stay on terror financing watchdog’s ‘gray list’

ISLAMABAD (AP) — An in- sion.”
ternational watchdog said Because of the invasion,
Friday it will keep Pakistan the organization said Fri-
on a so-called “gray list” day it has decided to se-
of countries that do not verely limit Moscow’s “role
take full measures to com- and influence within the
bat money laundering and FATF,” which Russia joined
terror financing but raised in 2003. It was not immedi-
hopes that its removal ately clear what that step
would follow an upcoming entailed.
visit to Islamabad to deter- The Paris-based group add-
mine its progress. ed Pakistan in 2018 to the
The announcement by “gray list,” which is com-
Marcus Pleyer, the presi- posed of countries with a
dent of the Financial Ac- high risk of money launder-
tion Task Force, was a blow ing and terrorism financing
to Pakistan’s newly elected but which have formally
government, which be- committed to working with
lieves that it has mostly the task force to make
complied with the tasks set changes.
by the organization. At the time, the south Asian
Expectations had been country avoided being
high in Pakistan that the A Pakistan watches news channel flashing news regarding FATF decision, at a market in Karachi, put on the organization’s
FATF would announce its Pakistan, Friday, June 17, 2022. “black list” of countries
removal from the list at Fri- Associated Press that do not take adequate
day’s meeting in Berlin. measures to halt money
Instead, Pleyer said an on- ing and money launder- action plans. It said a visit list” but added Gibraltar. laundering and terror fi-
site inspection by the FATF ing has led to significant to Pakistan was authorized Pleyer urged Gibraltar to nancing but also have not
in Pakistan would take progress,” the FATF said in as a final step toward exit- take steps in the right di- committed to working with
place before October, and a statement, adding that ing from the “gray list.” rection, including focusing the FATF.
that a formal announce- Pakistan’s “necessary politi- Pakistan’s Deputy Foreign on the gatekeepers to the The designation severely
ment on Pakistan’s removal cal commitment remains in Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, financial system. restricts a country’s interna-
would follow. place to sustain implemen- who attended the meeting The watchdog also ex- tional borrowing capabili-
He praised Islamabad for tation and improvement in in Berlin, said she was con- pressed concerns over the ties.
implementing the orga- the future.” vinced that the process for Russian invasion of Ukraine, Then-Prime Minister Imran
nization’s action plans a Pakistan’s foreign ministry Pakistan’s removal from the offering “its deepest sym- Khan, who came to power
clear indication that Paki- said the FATF reviewed Pak- list would begin later this pathies for the people in 2018, had hoped Paki-
stan is moving closer to get- istan’s progress in counter- year since Islamabad had of Ukraine” and saying it stan would be removed
ting off the “gray list.” ing terror financing during a fully complied with tasks set “continues to deplore the from the list while he was
“Pakistan’s continued po- four-day meeting this week by the FATF in recent years. huge loss of life and need- in office and often stressed
litical commitment to com- and “acknowledged the Also Friday, the FATF re- less destruction caused by his administration’s effort
bating both terrorist financ- completion” of Pakistan’s moved Malta from its “gray the ongoing Russian inva- toward that goal. q

Peruvian president faces investigation in corruption case

speculations … in an act of The investigation relates struction company Ode-
transparency with the peo- to an accusation that a brecht.
ple and collaboration with criminal group led by Cas- In the 10 months he has
the judiciary.” tillo had allegedly received been in office, Castillo
The president walked benefits from works improp- has so far survived two im-
through the streets of Li- erly allocated to some busi- peachment efforts in Con-
ma’s historic downtown, in- ness leaders. gress in what is the continu-
cluding a main road where This marks the first time in ation of a political crisis that
traffic was blocked. He Peru’s history that the dis- began in Peru in 2016 and
was surrounded by security trict attorney’s office has has led to instability as well
guards and anti-riot police, investigated a sitting presi- as five presidents and three
some on horseback and dent. dissolutions of Congress.
others on motorcycles. Six former Peruvian presi- Polls show Peruvians are
Castillo shook the hands of dents who led the country highly unhappy with both
several people present, but between 1985 and 2020 Castillo and Congress.
declined to answer ques- have been sentenced, in- A May poll from the Peru-
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo arrives to the special prosecutor
office in Lima, Peru, Friday, June 17, 2022. tions from reporters. dicted or investigated for vian Studies Institute shows
Associated Press Dozens of people shouted corruption or money laun- Castillo suffers a 70% disap-
“criminal” at the president dering. One of them, Alan proval rating, while Con-
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvian being the leader of an al- through megaphones, García, who was president gress stands at 87%. More
President Pedro Castillo ap- leged criminal conspiracy while others called on him from 1985 to 1990 and than half of the population
peared Friday before na- that received bribes for to be incarcerated. then again from 2006 to 67% believes that the best
tional prosecutors to face public works contracts. Prosecutors are also inves- 2011, killed himself before thing for the country would
questions as part of an Earlier, Castillo said on Twit- tigating the president’s for- he could be detained as be for the president and
investigation against him ter he sought to “clear mer transport minister, Juan part of an investigation into Congress to resign so new
in which he is accused of up the accusations and Silva, and six lawmakers. bribes by the Brazilian con- elections can be held.q