Establishment of fully trained, equipped CFT units proposed under NISP

ISLAMABAD, Jul 30 (APP):National Internal Security Policy (2018-23) has proposed
to establish fully trained and equipped
Combating Financing of Terrorism (CFT) units at federal and
provincial counter-terrorism departments to investigate money laundering,
terror financing, asset tracing and financial investigation.
Similarly, under the policy, specialized training will be
provided to prosecution and judicial branches of criminal justice system
to improve conviction rates.
The policy document has revealed that Anti Terrorism Act (1997)
and Anti Money Laundering Act (2010) provide strict laws in Pakistan
against financing of terrorism while steps are being taken to improve
enforcement of these laws by establishing an effective Combating
Financing of Terrorism regime in the country with investigative,
analytical, deterrent and preventive roles.
The policy document further revealed that a National Task
Force on Choking Financing of Terrorism – a Coordinating Body of
over 20 Federal and Provincial Organizations has already been
established to improve inter-agency coordination in this regard.
Stringent controls on cross-border movement of money and
branchless/internet banking have been enforced in collaboration
with Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) at State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
FMU has already prepared its own AML-CFT (Anti Money Laundering –
Combating Financing of Terrorism) strategy in this regard.
The other steps proposed to be taken on an urgent basis
to further enhance the CFT capability include:
Facilitation and Regulation of Charities Act will be enacted
to ensure that every penny donated into charity is accounted for.
An INGO policy has already been enforced to regulate
registration, working, funding, monitoring and other related
aspects pertaining to all types of INGOs functioning in the country.
Under the policy, all necessary steps will be taken to
implement international agreements with regards to acting on
funding sources of terrorism and proscribed organizations.
Regional and international collaboration in tackling militant
networks will be enhanced.
Meanwhile, National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and
Security Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) have agreed to
increase collaboration on combating financing of terrorism.
Both the organizations aim at working together to create
awareness about terrorist financing in financial institutions and
general public, undertake joint research initiatives and share
information of mutual interest.