FATF plenary: India flags backsliding by Pakistan on counter-terror obligations
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "FATF plenary: India flags backsliding by Pakistan on counter-terror obligations")
Ministry of Culture Secretary and FATF Vice-President Vivek Agrawal poses for a group picture with the Indian delegation led by Department of Revenue Additional Secretary Neetu Prasad and senior representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs, RBI, FIU, NIA, NSCS and other relevant agencies during the FATF Plenary and Working Group Meeting, in Paris on Oct 30, 2026. Photograph: (ANI)
India raised Pakistan's "backsliding" on terror financing at the FATF plenary in Paris, flagging Hafiz Saeed and Masood Azhar, and won support from partner countries for sustained scrutiny.
New Delhi: India used the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) plenary in Paris to firmly raise Pakistan’s continued "backsliding" on its commitments to curb terror financing. During the conversations that happened last month, Delhi also got clear expressions of support from several partner countries on the need for sustained scrutiny.
The three-day meeting, held from 28 to 30 October 2026 under the UK presidency of Giles Thomson, brought together delegates from more than 200 jurisdictions. Indian officials raised specific worries about the activities of UN-listed individuals and groups, including Lashkar-e-Taiba founder Hafiz Saeed and Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar.
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New Delhi has long argued that Islamabad has not taken verifiable action against these figures despite earlier undertakings. Masood Azhar has been responsible for many terror attacks in India. In fact, India has dismissed a recent Pakistani bounty of seven million rupees on Azhar as insufficient, arguing it does not constitute meaningful enforcement.
Pakistan was removed from FATF's "grey list" in October 2022 after completing a 34-point action plan. Responding to a question from WION about Pakistan’s progress, FATF President Giles Thomson on 30th October said that, “Pakistan was subject to a robust action plan from the FATF when it was on the grey list. It completed the action plan and came off the grey list in October 2022. Pakistan continues to work with its regional body, APG, Asia Pacific Group on Money Laundering. APG will evaluate it in a few years’ time.”
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He added that Pakistan remains subject to ongoing engagement with the APG and a future mutual evaluation in due course. India’s high-level delegation at the FATF included officials from the Ministry of External Affairs, National Investigation Agency and financial intelligence units.
