By Zahid Shah

ISLAMABAD (TSAT) - Pakistan on Friday said Islamabad know how to defend its interest as some countries politicizing the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Responding to a question during his weekly briefing, Pakistan Foreign Ministry spokesman Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said that being a responsible country Pakistan never publicly comments on FATF process.

“I think it is known that there are issues of politicization by some countries, and that remains a problem,” said Ahmad while responding to a question that despite fulfilling all the requirement why FATF kept Pakistan on its grey list.

The journalist asked that he consider its a conspiracy against Pakistan to hamper its economy.

“Having said that, I think Pakistan is a strong and important country, we know how to defend our interests,” he responded.

Ahmad added  that Pakistan have faithfully complied with and completed all technical requirements and hope that the outcome would be in the positive direction.

In October last year, the FATF appreciated Pakistan commitments and said Islamabad has completed 26 of the 27 action items in its action plan.

However, despite appreciation, the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog, didn’t removed Pakistan from its grey list. The decision widely criticised by Pakistani nation and called it injustice with their country.

Last year, Pakistan former Interior Minister Rehman Malik also wrote a letter to the FATF President and sought India role to keeping his country on the grey list.

Malik said that following Indian foreign minister confessional statement, its the responsibility of the FATF to investigate the Indian role

In his confessional statement, the Indian foreign minister stated: “Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) government led by Narendra Modi ensured that Pakistan remained on the ‘grey list’ of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Due to us, Pakistan is under the lens of FATF and it is kept on the grey list,” Dawn reported.

The former Interior Minister said that Indian top diplomat confessional statement has raised questions over the integrity of the organization.

“Unfortunately, FATF has not yet moved any action against Indian minister to prove the neutrality of FATF,” Dawn in its report quoted Malik has wrote in its letter.

“Despite clear evidence of involvement in terror financing, money laundering and even in heinous crimes of nuclear proliferation, India is being spared and no legal action is being initiated against it by FATF,” the letter added.

He accused that some anti-Pakistan countries are using FATF as a tool to put his country under pressure with ulterior motives.