A parliamentary body Friday asked if Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is a policymaking body, then why it is taking action against Pakistan.
Senate Standing Committee on Interior chairman Senator Rehman Malik said FATF president Marshall Billingslea, while replying to his (Malik's) letter requesting for action against Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi over protecting international fugitives involved in the biggest ever credit fraud and money laundering, said his institution only frames policy and does not take action.
"If the FATF has no investigative functions and is reluctant for taking any action against an individual i.e. PM Narendra Modi for terror financing, how it is taking action against Pakistan which is a sovereign state," he questioned.
Malik said in his letter he had written that Narendra Modi is protecting a businessman who had defrauded 45 international banks based in the UAE between 1980 and 1998, which has been termed as the biggest credit fraud in the history of international banking. They had conned these banks into giving them $360 million which were later laundered throughout Middle East as well as European countries, he said, adding that these fugitives are known as Madhav Patel and his father BM Patel who had colluded with each other in the commission of the above referred fraud.
Rehman Malik said soon he will be calling a committee meeting on the agenda to frame a lawful and detailed answer to the FATF president asking if the FATF cannot proceed and take action against Modi then how it is proceeding against and pressuring Pakistan.
The committee passed a resolution rejecting India's baseless allegations and threats against Pakistan after the Pulwama attack. The committee also demanded the World Bank to take serious notice of Indian threats regarding violation of Indus Waters Treaty after the incident of Pulwama.
Malik presented the resolution strongly rejecting 'baseless Indian allegations' which was unanimously passed by the committee.
Senator Kauda Babar said despite the fact that Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav was caught red-handed inside Pakistan territory who was found involved in terrorism in Balochistan, Pakistan is being blamed for terrorism. He said India is involved in terrorist activities in Balochistan which was confessed by its spy with all evidences.
While endorsing the resolution, Senator Javed Abbasi said blaming Pakistan is part of Modi's election campaign and "we strongly reject such baseless allegations."
About the withdrawal of Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status by India, Senator Mohsin Aziz said the withdrawal of MFN status would not make any problem for Pakistan.
The committee observed that recent media reports and allegations of India against Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) have raised some serious questions. "Hence we need to revisit the National Action Plan (NAP), especially the points which were related to Madressah Reforms, extremism and religious extremism."
Malik said JeM was proscribed in 2002 by the then government and asked Ministry of Interior to brief the committee whether or not it is monitoring JeM and its ex-leaders' activities.
He also asked if there was any report regarding activities of banned organisations under any new other name and if it is so, the committee must be provided with full details.
The committee unanimously agreed and recommended "The Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Bill" moved by Senator Mohsin Aziz. The committee thoroughly discussed and considered the bill.
The meeting was also attended by Senator Asad Ali Khan Junejo, Senator Mian Muhammad Ateeq Shaikh, Senator Haji Momin Khan Afridi, Senator Sardar Muhammad Shafiq Tareen, Senator Dr Shahzad Waseem, Senator Kauda Babar, Senator Mohsin Aziz, and senior officials of Ministry of Interior and district administration.
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