Too early to party over FATF 'win'.

THE political parties these days are busy claiming to be behind the self-proclaimed 'victory' over the mere acknowledgement by Financial Action Task Force (FATF) President Dr Marcus Pleyer that Pakistan has met all 34 conditions on two separate action plans. This is despite the fact that the 'watchdog' is yet to take Pakistan off its so-called grey list, and will now schedule an on-site visit for verification of the country's money-laundering and counterterrorism financing mechanism.

Pleyer did not mince words and was pretty clear when he said Pakistan was not being removed from the 'grey list, and it would have to ensure during the FATF visit that it has effectively tackled relevant issues.

What bothers the mind is that no country or individual can actually indulge in money-laundering without there being someone at the 'other end'. We have seen billions of dollars being invested in London's property market which caused quite a stir in the British financial circles. The FATF has callously closed its eyes over the United Kingdom, which was the recipient country. Why?

It is common knowledge that the CIA had flooded Pakistan with legal/illegal dollars during the Soviet-Afghan war. As soon as Soviet army retreated from Afghanistan, the Americans also left the war-ravaged, landlocked country in a precarious situation, leaving Pakistan behind to manage a multitude of problems alone.

In a geopolitical summersault, the United...