Senator Rehman Malik of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has written a letter to UN Secretary General António Guterres and asked him to help Pakistan have its name removed from the grey list of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

Malik pleaded in his letter to the UN chief that Pakistan was suffering from financial constraints as it continues to take every possible measure to defeat coronavirus in the country. He said that Pakistan’s financial hardships have increased ever since its name was put on the FATF grey list. He said that Pakistan is also facing hurdles in procurement of medical equipment and other related stuff from different countries amid its ongoing fight against the deadly virus. He said that Pakistan has already taken a number of measures in line with FATF’s instructions and FATF member nations acknowledge these measures.

Malik, who heads Senate Standing Committee on Interior, said he has already written a letter to the FATF head to have Pakistan’s name removed from the grey list. He asked the UN secretary general to plead Pakistan’s case with the FATF keeping in view the prevailing conditions in the country, and have its named removed from the grey list. He asked the UN chief to help Pakistan on humanitarian grounds in these testing times. He said that Pakistan is a victim of FATF’s discriminatory policy.

Malik reminded the UN chief of his Pakistan visit and said it was an absolute pleasure to meet him in Islamabad. He said he had a lot of respect for UN chief’s services for the Afghan refugees. Malik also reached out to Munir Akram, Pakistan’s permanent representative to the UN, and asked him to convince the UN chief to plead Pakistan’s case with the FATF and have its name removed from the grey list. Malik said he wants to meet the FATF chief in person as well.