'Many fathers' of FATF success.

ISLAMABAD -- A baffling race is currently underway to take credit for the positive response that Pakistan received from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) at its meeting in Berlin on Friday, brightening the chances of Islamabad's removal from the global money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog's 'grey list'.

The scramble to take credit for the development was summed up poignantly by PPP stalwart Farhatullah Babar, who stated that some of those who were taking credit may actually have been the ones responsible for Pakistan landing on the grey list in the first place, without elaborating further.

As soon as the FATF announced that Pakistan had met all of its 34 conditions, Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman and former prime minister Imran Khan in a series of tweets credited his government with leading the country to this achievement.

Again, while presiding over a meeting of party spokespersons at his Banigala residence on Saturday, Mr Khan congratulated Hammad Azhar - who was energy minister in the PTI cabinet and the previous government's point main for anti-money laundering and counter-terror financing efforts - as well as the members and officers of the FATF coordinating committee for 'working hard to achieve the milestone to ensure Pakistan's delisting from FATF grey list'.

Editorial: Pakistan moving closer to FATF grey list exit is good news but shouldn't be grounds for complacency

On the other hand, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also felicitated the nation and government institutions, personalities and the relevant teams over the development and particularly 'appreciated the performance of Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar and the members of team of the Foreign Ministry' who represented the country at the meeting.

Mr Sharif said the efforts of the basic cell related to FATF and of military and civil leadership included in it, were praiseworthy and the credit went to them for their work in this national endeavour.

PM Sharif said the statement of FATF was a recognition of the restoration of the international reputation of Pakistan.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) also came out with a series of statements praising their party chairman and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari for 'successful diplomacy' during his recent foreign visits thus paving the way for the country's removal from the `grey list' of...