India is set to sharpen its case against Pakistan over terror funding at the plenary of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) in Paris, with the focus on Jaish-e-Mohammed and its chief Masood Azhar, officials told IANS. The plenary runs from October 28 to 30.
Source: IANS
An official said Indian officials would build a strong case against Azhar at the plenary, alleging that Pakistan has done little or nothing to curb his activities. India alleges Pakistan has shielded and sheltered Azhar; Pakistan has denied sheltering him. Those are allegations by Indian officials, not findings of the FATF.
Source: IANS
The Daily Jagran, citing Hindustan Times reporting, said this will be the first FATF plenary under the presidency of Giles Thomson of the United Kingdom, with delegates from the watchdog's global network of more than 200 jurisdictions and observer organisations gathering in Paris, and that the FATF is likely to review Pakistan's anti-terror efforts.
Source: The Daily Jagran (citing Hindustan Times)
Officials said India held backchannel talks in recent days, asking its diplomats to drum up support among member nations so it can make out a strong case on Pakistan's alleged terror-funding activities, IANS reported.
Source: IANS
A key change, Indian officials say, is that in September Taliban spokesperson Zia Ahmed publicly stated that Azhar was not in Afghanistan and that Pakistan had sent no formal communication placing him there — undercutting Pakistan's long-standing claim that Azhar was based in Afghanistan, according to both IANS and The Daily Jagran.
Source: The Daily Jagran (citing Hindustan Times)
Azhar is a UN-designated terrorist whom India links to the 2001 Parliament attack, the 2016 Pathankot airbase assault and the 2019 Pulwama bombing, The Daily Jagran reported. Pakistan was placed on the FATF Grey List in 2018 after a push by India, the United States and allies over Lashkar-e-Taiba, and was removed from the list in 2022.
Source: The Daily Jagran (citing Hindustan Times)