Benta News

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) said on Friday that it had removed the United Arab Emirates from its “grey list” of countries subject to increased monitoring, while Kenya and Namibia were added.

Countries on the list have “strategic deficiencies” in their efforts to counter money laundering and terrorist financing, but are cooperating with the global anti-money laundering watchdog to correct the problems and are subject to increased monitoring.

FATF head Raja Kumar said that Kenya and Namibia suffered deficiencies in their anti-money laundering systems and that action plans had been developed to remedy them.

A total of 21 nations are on the grey list.

In addition to the UAE, Barbados, Gibraltar and Uganda were removed from the grey list.

“They’ve all taken substantial steps to improve the anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism safety systems and address all items on their actions plans,” said Kumar.

UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed the FATF decision and said the changes would “strengthen the country’s leading status and competitiveness, and advance its position globally as an economic, trading and investment hub”, according to the country’s official news agency, WAM.

In recent decades the UAE has sought to use its location in the Gulf to become a financial, trade and travel hub linking Asia and Europe. It was put on the FATF’s grey list in 2022 over concerns about murky financial transactions and a flood of Russian money into the country.

More than 200 countries and jurisdictions have pledged to implement the recommendations of the FATF.

The FATF also has a “blacklist” of nations which are considered high-risk jurisdictions.

Countries are urged to apply countermeasures against Iran and North Korea to protect against money laundering and the financing of terrorism and weapons proliferation.

Meanwhile, countries are requested to apply enhanced due diligence concerning Myanmar.

The FATF also repeated its condemnation of Russia for its invasion of Ukraine two years ago.

It suspended Russia’s participation in the body last year and said its members are taking proactive measures to protect the global financial system given Moscow’s growing financial links to countries subject to FATF countermeasures.

A Rawalpindi anti-terrorism court (ATC) on Saturday granted bail to former prime minister Imran Khan in a dozen cases pertaining to the May 9 violence.

Former foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi was granted bail in 13 similar cases.

Countrywide protests had erupted on May 9 last year after the paramilitary Rangers whisked away Imran from the Islamabad High Court in a corruption case.

While the protests were underway, social media was flooded with footage of rioting and vandalism at various spots, including the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence and General Headquarters, the army’s head of office in Rawalpindi.

Imran was arrested in at least a dozen cases in connection with the May 9 protests by the Rawalpindi police last month. Meanwhile, Qureshi in December was implicated in at least 12 different cases registered by the Rawalpindi district police in connection with the May 9 violence.

Today, ATC Judge Malik Asif Ejaz presided over hearings on bail applications by the two and granted the request while rejecting a prosecution plea for respite.

A Lahore ATC on Friday had extended Imran’s pre-arrest bail in seven May 9 cases till today.

Major arteries of Karachi were flooded on Saturday night as rain lashed most parts of the city.

“The public is requested to avoid going out on the roads unnecessarily. Rescue teams are facing difficulties in emergency responses due to severe traffic jams on roads,” said a statement from Rescue 1122.

It added that teams were dispatched and present in various parts of the city to help the public. It further said that there were no reports of any building collapsing and two people were only slightly injured due to a wall collapse near Kashmir Road.

The statement said the two individuals were moved to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre for treatment.

According to data from the Met office till 11pm, PAF Faisal Base received the highest amount of rainfall i.e. 75 millimetres, followed by Malir (64mm), Surjani Town (63.8mm), Keamari (55mm), Quaidabad (52mm), old airport area (51mm), Gulshan-i-Hadeed (50mm), PAF Masroor Base (47.2mm), Jinnah Terminal (42mm), Saadi Town (37.6mm), North Karachi (33.6mm), University Road (30mm), Gulshan-i-Maymar (23.8mm), Nazimabad (23.5mm), Korangi (15mm) with trace rainfall in Orangi Town and Defence Housing Authority.

The data showed that the figures came from showers after 8pm since till then, the figures were negligible showing trace to no rain.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab urged people to avoid unnecessary movement, saying that teams were deployed to clear major roads.

“Issues are being addressed. Will keep people posted,” he said.

He said there were issues at Tipu Sultan Road and Nursery on Shahrae Faisal that were “impeding discharge of water”.

The office of the South deputy commissioner also urged the public to avoid unnecessary travel, adding that “almost all teams have got stuck up in traffic congestion” and drainage efforts were being impeded.

Visuals from citizens showed “urban flooding” at Tariq Road and Shahrae Faisal with cars submerged in water.

Meanwhile, K-Electric (KE) spokesperson Imran Rana said 600 out of 2,100 feeders were shut due to safety reasons.