Owaisi Calls for Pakistan’s Return to FATF Grey List Over Terror Concerns

Asaduddin Owaisi, Member of Parliament and leader of the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), has urged that Pakistan be placed back on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list. He raised concerns that the recent $2 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) might be diverted to fund Pakistan’s military or support terrorist groups.

Speaking during an interaction with the Indian diaspora in Kuwait, Owaisi stressed the need for stricter financial oversight of Pakistan. “Pakistan must be brought back to the FATF grey list. That status brings a high level of scrutiny on money transactions, which is essential,” he said, according to ANI.

Owaisi, part of an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation led by BJP MP Baijayant Panda, accused Pakistan of continuing to channel funds to terror outfits targeting India through money laundering and hawala networks, particularly in the Middle East.

Criticizing Pakistan’s repeated attempts to frame issues with India in religious terms, Owaisi said, “Pakistan can’t use religion as a cover. India has a larger Muslim population than Pakistan, and we Indian Muslims are more sincere in our beliefs than they are.”

The delegation, which includes MPs Nishikant Dubey, Phangnon Konyak, Rekha Sharma, Satnam Singh Sandhu, former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, and diplomat Harsh Shringla, is on a mission to engage with international leaders across Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Algeria. Their aim is to present India’s position on cross-border terrorism and its firm response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

Ghulam Nabi Azad accused Pakistan of routinely spreading misinformation, while Panda emphasized that India will no longer remain silent. “India will respond strongly to terrorism and will continue to expose Pakistan’s role in sponsoring it,” Panda said.

This diplomatic outreach is part of India’s broader strategy to counter false narratives globally and reinforce its zero-tolerance stance on terrorism.