Pakistan is out of Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) 'grey list' with the global watchdog stating that Islamabad would continue to work with the Asia/Pacific Group on Money Laundering to further improve its anti-money laundering and counter-terrorist financing (AML/CFT) system.
FATF said it welcomes Pakistan's significant progress in improving its AML/CFT regime. The global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog said after its plenary here that Pakistan strengthened the effectiveness of its AML/CFT regime and addressed technical deficiencies to meet commitments of its action plans regarding strategic deficiencies that FATF identified.
Pakistan "is no longer subject to FATF's increased monitoring process; to continue to work with APG to further improve its AML/CFT," the watchdog said.
Pakistan has been on the Paris-based watchdog's grey list for deficiencies in its counter-terror financing and anti-money laundering regimes since June 2018.
This greylisting has adversely impacted its imports, exports and remittances and limited its access to international lending.
At the June plenary, FATF retained Pakistan on its grey list and had said a final decision to remove it from the list will be taken after an "on-site" verification visit.
Later in September, a FATF team visited Pakistan.
The FATF had issued the 27-point action plan after placing Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018. The action plan pertained to curbing money laundering and terror financing.
This inclusion in the grey list serves as a warning to the country that it may enter the blacklist.
Pakistan was first put on the grey list in 2008, removed in 2009 and then again remained under increased monitoring from 2012 to 2015.
The FATF Plenary is the decision-making body of the FATF. It meets three times every year.
Delegates representing 206 members of the Global Network and observer organisations, including the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations, the World Bank, INTERPOL, and the Egmont Group of Financial Intelligence Units, participated in the Working Group and Plenary meetings in Paris.
(ANI)
Moglai Bap and Mo Chara of Kneecap perform at Glastonbury Festival at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, Britain, June 28, 2025. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
Police may probe anti-Israel comments at Glastonbury
BRITISH police said they were considering whether to launch an investigation after performers at Glastonbury Festival made anti-Israel comments during their shows.
"We are aware of the comments made by acts on the West Holts Stage at Glastonbury Festival this afternoon," Avon and Somerset Police, in western England, said on X late on Saturday (28).
Irish hip-hop group Kneecap and punk duo Bob Vylan made anti-Israeli chants in separate shows on the West Holts stage on Saturday. One of the members of Bob Vylan chanted "Death, death, to the IDF" in a reference to the Israel Defense Forces.
"Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation," the police statement said.
The Israeli Embassy in Britain said it was "deeply disturbed by the inflammatory and hateful rhetoric expressed on stage at the Glastonbury Festival".
Prime minister Keir Starmer said earlier this month it was "not appropriate" for Kneecap to appear at Glastonbury.
The band's frontman Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh was charged with a terrorism offence last month for allegedly displaying a flag in support of Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah at a concert in November. He has denied the charge.
A British government minister said it was appalling that the anti-Israel chants had been made at Glastonbury, and that the festival's organisers and the BBC broadcaster - which is showing the event - had questions to answer.
Health secretary Wes Streeting said he was also appalled by violence committed by Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank.
"I'd also say to the Israeli Embassy, get your own house in order in terms of the conduct of your own citizens and the settlers in the West Bank," Streeting told Sky News.
"I wish they'd take the violence of their own citizens towards Palestinians more seriously," he said.
(Reuters)