PESHAWAR: Customs intelligence and investigation team deputed at Bacha Khan Airport foiled an attempt of money laundering and arrested an FIA Inspector who was trying to board a flight carrying along British currency worth 200,000 pounds.
Customs sources told Customs Today that officials of Customs Intelligence & Investigation arrested the accused and his accomplice who was facilitated by FIA official at Peshawar Airport.
The arrest is a part of a massive swoop launched on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan who wanted Pakistan to strictly comply with the standards identified by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). Under past regimes, the FATF team had to shuttle between various ministries. Prime Minister Imran Khan has formed a dedicated team to deal with the issue and in future there would be one team handling the matters related to FATF.
Under the strategy, a pyramid of ministers has been formed to deal with the matter. Finance Minister Asad Umar and State Minister for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi are leading this six-member ministerial committee which also includes Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Minister for Defence Pervez Khattak, Minister for Law Dr Farogh Nasim and Advisor to PM for Commerce Abdul Razzak Dawood.
“Prime Minister himself is overseeing the entire operation,” the source said. “Zero tolerance would be observed against capital flight, money laundering and terror financing. Rather than following FATF, Pakistan would now become a model for all countries of the FATF regime,” the source said.
The source added that for the first time, Pak Army is also on board and all steps are being taken in coordination with armed forces. Representatives of intelligence agencies have been named and in initial meetings, targeted actions have been launched too, the source said and added that the action being taken is multipronged and multidimensional.
