June 13, 2025 — New Delhi: The Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global watchdog for countering money laundering and terrorist financing, has issued a stern condemnation of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir, where 26 tourists were killed. In an official statement, the FATF emphasized that such attacks are not possible without the flow of money and financial support from terror backers.
💣 “Terror Attacks Cannot Happen Without Funding”: FATF
“Terrorist attacks kill, maim and inspire fear around the world. The FATF notes with grave concern and condemns the brutal terrorist attack in Pahalgam on 22 April 2025. This, and other recent attacks, could not occur without money and the means to move funds between terrorist supporters,” the FATF said in its official statement.
Although the watchdog did not name Pakistan directly, the comments come amid growing international focus on Islamabad’s alleged ties to terror financing networks.
📊 FATF to Strengthen Measures Against Terror Funding
In its statement, FATF also announced plans to enhance global frameworks to better combat terrorism financing.
“The FATF has developed guidance on terrorist financing risk to support experts that contribute to evaluations of the 200+ jurisdictions in the Global Network,” it added, highlighting a push for greater effectiveness and enforcement.
The watchdog underscored the importance of identifying financial gaps that allow terrorism to thrive, and pledged to continue mutual evaluations of member nations to assess compliance.
🇮🇳 India Seeks Pakistan’s Re-Entry into FATF Grey List
Following the Pahalgam attack, Indian authorities have intensified their campaign to bring Pakistan back onto FATF’s ‘grey list’, citing ongoing support for cross-border terrorism.
According to a report by PTI, India is presenting evidence linking Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) and its proxy The Resistance Front (TRF)—both based in Pakistan—to the April 22 attack. While Pakistan has denied involvement, India has consistently flagged Islamabad’s financial and logistical support to these outfits.
The FATF grey list currently includes 24 countries under increased monitoring for money laundering, terrorist financing, and proliferation financing.
📁 Pakistan’s History with FATF Grey List
- 2008: First placed on the grey list
- 2010: Removed
- 2012: Re-listed
- 2015: Removed again
- 2018: Returned to grey list
- October 2022: Removed from the list after committing to reforms
India’s fresh diplomatic push may result in renewed scrutiny of Pakistan’s financial systems during the upcoming FATF plenary sessions.