China protecting their own interest by backing Pak at FATF: Ex-ambassador

Former Ambassador OP Gupta on Saturday said that China was protecting its own interest by backing Pakistan at Financial Action Task Force meeting. Pakistan on Saturday managed to survive by not getting placed on the FATF blacklist for now, following the support from China and traditional allies Turkey and Malaysia.

New Delhi: After Pakistan managed to survive by not getting placed on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) blacklist for now, following support from all-weather China and traditional allies Turkey and Malaysia, former Ambassador OP Gupta said that China had been protecting its own interest by backing Pakistan at FATF meet.

Speaking exclusively to ETV Bharat, Gupta claimed, "China has been protecting its own investment in Pakistan. They don't want terrorist groups to attack the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor."

Regarding Turkey and Malaysia's support to Pakistan at the FATF's plenary meet, the former Ambassador who has served for over three decades in Indian Foreign Service, said, "Both Turkey and Malaysia are Islamic Republics and that's why they are protecting Pakistan."

Gupta hailed India's tactic against Pakistan saying that they should keep mounting pressure on it until they stop harbouring terror groups on their soil.

The Indian delegation headed by Financial Intelligence unit head PK Mishra, on Friday, stressed for Pakistan's blacklisting and provided fresh evidence on the role of Hafiz Saeed's Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation.

Now, the Financial Task Force has ordered Pakistan to complete its action plan till October 2019 or get blacklisted.