• US consul general meets Senate chairman
• Regional peace, economic ties discussed

LAHORE: Senate Chairman Yousaf Raza Gilani has expressed concern over India’s unilateral actions regarding the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), saying that “any attempt to use water as a tool of coercion undermines regional stability and threatens the livelihoods and food security of millions of Pakistanis”.

He was speaking to United States Consul General Stetson Sanders, who called on him here on Saturday.

Mr Gilani called upon the international community to support the restoration of treaty obligations and adherence to international law.

Following the unilateral suspension of the IWT in April 2025, in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, India escalated dam construction and began heavily regulating water at existing facilities such as the Baglihar Dam, posing a threat to Pakistan’s water supply.

Mr Gilani and Mr Sanders exchanged views on matters relating to Pakistan-US ties, trade and investment, besides regional peace and security.

The Senate chairman reiterated the country’s commitment to strengthening its longstanding relationship with the US, describing bilateral ties as an important pillar of Pakistan’s foreign policy, based on mutual respect, shared objectives and forward-looking cooperation.

During the meeting, Mr Gilani appreciated the confidence reposed by US President Donald Trump and his administration in Pakistan’s constructive role for regional peace and diplomacy.

He noted that Pakistan was pleased to host the historic Islamabad Talks, which facilitated direct dialogue between the US and Iran and underscored Pakistan’s role as a responsible stakeholder in promoting peace and stability.

Expanding cooperation

The Senate chairman highlighted the positive momentum generated through recent high-level engagements between the two countries and emphasised the need to further expand cooperation in trade, investment, information technology, energy, minerals, health, education and agriculture.

Referring to economic relations, he stated that the US remained one of Pakistan’s most important economic partners and the largest destination for the country’s exports.

He welcomed the growing bilateral trade and the successful conclusion of the US-Pakistan Agreement on Reciprocal Trade. He also invited greater American investment in the country’s agriculture, IT, mining and minerals, and energy sectors.

Mr Gilani said the US continued to be a major investor in Pakistan, with American enterprises contributing significantly to employment generation and economic development.

On regional peace and security, he acknowledged the efforts of President Trump and the US administration in facilitating a ceasefire understanding between Pakistan and India following the military standoff of April-May 2025.

He reiterated Pakistan’s desire for constructive relations with all countries in the region while safeguarding its national interests and security.

Highlighting parliamentary diplomacy, the Senate chairman underscored the importance of exchanges between legislators of both countries.

He recalled Pakistan’s participation in parliamentary engagements at the United Nations and welcomed further exchanges between Pakistani and US parliamentarians to strengthen mutual understanding.

The Senate chairman also emphasised the vital role of people-to-people contacts in enhancing bilateral relations. He praised the contributions of the vibrant Pakistani diaspora in the US and acknowledged the role of Pakistani students studying at American universities as future ambassadors of goodwill between the two nations.

He expressed confidence that Pakistan-US relations would continue to expand across diverse fields for the mutual benefit of both countries and their peoples.

Published in Dawn, May 31th, 2026

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) has established Financial Action Task Force (FATF) desks across all its wings and zones by expanding the existing FATF secretariat at the Anti-Money Laundering Directorate, as part of the country’s upcoming evaluation by the global anti-money laundering watchdog next year.

The move is intended to improve the effective implementation of international standards with regard to investigations into money laundering, terrorism financing and predicate offences.

“This significant step will also improve the quality of investigations and prosecutions, data maintenance, timely generation of international cooperation requests, prompt inter-agency coordination and effective feedback mechanisms,” a senior FIA official told Dawn on Tuesday.

According to the official, FIA Director General Dr Usman Anwar has instructed all zones and specialised wings to set up FATF desks within seven days, to ensure full compliance with international standards and avoid any deficiencies during the country’s assessment, expected in the last quarter of 2027.

The FIA chief has also directed that each desk be headed by an officer of at least Assistant Director rank.

Pakistan was put on the enhanced monitoring list (grey list) in August 2018 by FATF. After demonstrating significant improvement against a 27-point action plan regarding technical compliance and effectiveness, it was removed from the grey list in October 2022.

The country’s exit from the grey list helped improve its standing with international financial watchdogs and investor confidence. It also supported broader economic engagements, including negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

“Domestically, it also improved the effectiveness of regulations, law enforcement and capacity of regulators and law enforcement agencies (LEAs) in CFT and money laundering,” the official said.

The official said in 2021, the FATF secretariat was established at the Anti-Money Laundering Directorate of FIA headquarters to implement FATF standards effectively and to remove major shortcomings highlighted in the 27-point action plan.

“With the passage of time and owing to an increase in volume and emerging trends in investigations of predicate offences, anti-money laundering and countering financing of terrorism (CFT), it was inevitable to expand the existing framework,” he said.

The newly established desks include seven units — the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), the Investigation Monitoring Unit (IMU), the International Cooperation Unit (ICU), the Inter-Agency Coordination Unit (IACU), the Risk Assessment Unit (RAU), the Seizure and Confiscation Unit (SCU) and the Forensics and Virtual Assets Unit (FVAU).

Each zonal desk will be reporting to a desk at the concerned wing of the FIA headquarters.

The FIU plays a particularly important role as it receives financial intelligence from the FMU, disseminates it to concerned zones for investigation, and provides feedback to the FMU.

The ICU facilitates the sending and receiving of international cooperation requests through formal and informal channels for assistance from foreign jurisdictions in cases involving money laundering, terrorism financing and predicate offences. Assistance includes the collection of evidence, seizure and confiscation of foreign proceeds, and the arrest of absconding accused persons.

The IMU monitors the effectiveness and quality of ongoing investigations by providing guidance to investigators and prosecutors, while the IACU ensures prompt assistance to investigators by providing information and evidence from other LEAs, regulators and authorities such as NADRA, the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports, excise departments, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) (Income Tax).

The RAU is mandated to conduct periodic risk assessments of various sectors, geographical regions and offences under its domain. This exercise will ultimately feed into Pakistan’s National Risk Assessment, according to the official.

The SCU will ensure seizure and confiscation during money laundering and terrorism financing investigations, while also maintaining a database of seizures and confiscations carried out by the FIA.

Meanwhile, the FVAU has been established as a proactive approach to meet the needs of investigations, including digital equipment, the use of cyberspace in the commission of conventional crimes, and virtual assets as a channel for the movement of illegal proceeds and as a placement, layering and integration platform.

“Each zone will also maintain an official digital wallet for the safe custody of seizure and confiscation of virtual assets,” the official said.

He added that since Pakistan’s removal from the grey list, key institutions — including designated LEAs, the FIA, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), Counter Terrorism Departments (CTDs), the National Cyber Crimes Investigation Agency (NCCIA), FBR Customs and FBR Inland Revenue, regulators of the financial sector, and Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs) — had continued efforts to ensure compliance with FATF standards on an ongoing basis.

He further said the authorities had sustained measures against cross-border cash smuggling, improved Know Your Customer (KYC) and Customer Due Diligence (CDD) processes for financial transactions, and tightened oversight of DNFBPs such as real estate agents, dealers in precious metals and stones, accountants and lawyers.

During the period of grey-listing, Pakistan also showed significant progress in the counter-terror financing regime by taking action against proscribed individuals and organisations and their associated networks, seizing properties, freezing bank accounts, and prosecuting individuals involved in terror-financing activities.

“The National Counter-Terrorism Authority (Nacta), CTDs, the FIA, provincial home departments, district intelligence committees, police, intelligence agencies and other authorities played a pivotal role through synergised efforts in removing major shortcomings and developing a sustainable and effective countering and monitoring regime for the financing of terrorism,” another official said.

He added that the expansion of FATF desks and specialised units reflected FIA’s continued efforts to maintain compliance ahead of the next mutual evaluation and avoid any risk of renewed scrutiny by the global watchdog.

LAHORE: Former prime minister and PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif will visit Gilgit-Baltistan on Tuesday to meet party ticket holders ahead of the June 7 elections.

The GB Election Commission had announced that general elections in the region would be held on June 7 after a four-month delay.

On Monday, Punjab Senior Provincial Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said on X that the PML-N president will visit GB on Tuesday for a one-day visit. During the visit, he will meet party leaders and ticket-holders.

“He will also discuss the upcoming elections in Gilgit-Baltistan and matters related to the development and welfare of the people of the region,” she said.

Nawaz has not been active in politics since the February 2024 general elections. However, he is serving as head of the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival. The former prime minister often presides over its meetings and oversees measures for the protection of the city’s heritage.

The PML-N supremo also acts as a political mentor to his daughter and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Earlier in April, Nawaz had vowed that, if elected, the party would focus on development in GB.

Nawaz asserted that GB “is as dear to me as the rest of Pakistan is, and as Azad Kashmir, Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan and KP are”.

PTI alleges pre-poll rigging

The PTI said in a statement on Monday that “systematic pre-poll rigging and state-backed repression” were being carried out ahead of the upcoming GB elections.

“The party believes that the Islamabad-imposed Form-47 government in collaboration with state institutions, the local administration, and law enforcement agencies, is being used to influence the electoral process and suppress political opposition,” the PTI said.

The party also expressed serious concern over the conduct of the GB Election Commission.

“We find it frivolous that a notice was issued to the mother of former chief minister Khalid Khurshid for displaying election posters so that candidates could be forced into quitting PTI and joining government-backed parties,” it said.

The PTI added that the ruling PML-N was openly violating the electoral code of conduct through federal-level campaigning and the use of administrative influence.

“At the same time, PTI lawmakers are being prevented from entering the region. We maintain that the Election Commission’s failure to address these violations, while taking action against PTI candidates and their families, raises serious questions about its impartiality and independence,” it said.