Beijing: Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on Tuesday morning arrived in China for a three-day visit, a week ahead of crucial Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary meeting.
During his trip, he will discuss issues of regional and bilateral significance, including the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and Kashmir, said an official statement.
There seem to be high chances of Pakistan being blacklisted by the FATF, an international organization which monitors terrorist funding and money laundering. And fortunately for Pakistan this year, its all-weather ally China holds the presidency of the FATF.
Hence, it is anticipated that Islamabad will ask Beijing to stridently back it at the plenary meeting to prevent it from blacklisting.
The FATF had placed Pakistan on the grey list in June 2018 and it was given an action plan to be completed by October 2019. However, Pakistan is going slow on these action plans and that would weaken the prospects of the country.
The FATF said that Pakistan must identify, asses and understand the money laundering and terror financing risks and other risks from these terrorist groups.
In August 2019, a subsidiary body of FATF, the Asia Pacific Group placed Pakistan in the Enhanced Follow Up List for failure to meet its standards.
