FATF, an organization that monitors terrorism and money laundering at the global level, has once again warned that North Korea, Iran and Myanmar are still high-risk countries. These countries have not only failed to implement anti-terrorism and anti-money laundering laws, but also remain a threat to the global financial system. FATF has said that removing these countries from the blacklist does not give them any kind of license and international financial institutions will have to be careful with them.

Being in the blacklist means that financial institutions limit their transactions and use of resources with these countries, so that the pressure on these countries to improve according to FATF standards can increase. The FATF constantly reviews its list, but all three countries continue to be included in the high-risk areas.

FATF reviewed the progress of many countries

The FATF reviewed the progress of several countries in 2025, including Algeria, Angola, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Lao PDR, Monaco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal, Nigeria, South Africa, South Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Vietnam. Of these, Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Nigeria and South Africa have been removed from the gray list of FATF.

FATF warning on Myanmar

Myanmar was blacklisted in October 2022 after it failed to improve on its action plan. FATF said that if progress is not made by October 2025, drastic measures can be taken. According to FATF, Myanmar has not completed most of the tasks even a year after the deadline of its action plan. Some progress has been made, such as the management of seized assets, but urgent action is still needed to address strategic shortcomings.

What is the reason for action against Iran?

Iran has not yet completed its FATF action plan launched in 2018. In October 2025, it passed legislation related to the UN Terrorist Financing Convention, but FATF says that key shortcomings still remain. After February 2020, Iran reported its situation in January, August and December 2024 and August 2025, but there were no significant changes.

FATF has appealed to all countries and financial institutions to take these high-risk countries and their financial transactions seriously, so that the global financial system remains safe.

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‘Being out of the gray list does not mean freedom from funding terrorism’, FATF warns Pakistan

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has warned Pakistan that it has been removed from the gray list in October 2022, it does not mean that now terrorists have got freedom for funding and money laundering. FATF clearly said that continuous monitoring against terrorists will continue.

New way of funding through digital wallet

Recently, Pakistan’s terrorist organization Jaish-e-Mohammed has started collecting funds through e-wallets. According to the information, digital wallets like Easypaisa and Sadapay are being used to deposit money in the accounts of Masood Azhar and his family.

According to FATF, terrorists now take support from their family members. They create accounts in the name of women so that not much money is deposited in a single account and the large amount can be gradually collected and used to build new camps for terrorists.

Pretense of religious and educational institutions

FATF warned that terrorist organizations are often collecting funds by posing as religious or educational institutions. Its purpose is to enable them to continue their activities without being monitored.

What did the President of FATF say?

FATF President Elisa de Anda Madrazo said that earlier also there had been many reports that terrorists were using e-wallets. He said, “Even after removing Pakistan from the gray list, its activities are being monitored. Pakistan is not a direct member of FATF, but is a member of the Asia-Pacific Group, hence follow-up is done through it.”

He also clarified that if a country is removed from the gray list, it does not mean that that country gets protection for criminal activities. The job of FATF is to keep an eye on the funding network of terrorists across the world.

India had attacked many targets in Operation Sindoor.

India had recently destroyed Jaish-e-Mohammed hideouts during Operation Sindoor. After this, the terrorists took the help of e-wallet to collect money by avoiding FATF monitoring.

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‘India-Pakistan were on the verge of war after the Parliament attack’, shocking revelation of ex-CIA officer

Pakistan may once again be included in the gray list of Financial Action Task Force. The Finance Minister here is afraid of this. Finance Minister Mohammad Aurangzeb has given a big statement saying that the country can once again go into the gray list of FATF (Financial Action Task Force). He warned that about 15% of Pakistan’s population is doing financial transactions without any investigation, rules and regulations. It is believed that Pakistan can be punished again due to relations with terrorist organizations like Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Fatf’s eye on terrorist funding
Aurangzeb tried to connect the threat of FATF to the country’s weak economy, but the reality is that the matter is related to funding and money laundering to terrorist organizations. According to reports, funds are being transferred on a large scale without any regulation to provide funds to terrorists in Pakistan. This is the reason why FATF is keeping a close watch on it.

Pakistan has been in gray-list earlier also
FATF has earlier put Pakistan in a strict monitoring list (gray-list) on charges of helping terrorists. Terrorist groups like Jaish-e-Mohammed and Lashkar-e-Taiba run their funding networks using hawala, cash transactions and now digital networks. Reports say that the government of Pakistan has also created new avenues for fund transfer.

Digital finance is increasing difficulties
If Pakistan fails to control digital finance and non-registard transactions, then it can be put in the gray-list again. According to the report by The Pakistan Tribune, Aurangzeb has warned that FATF is scheduled if the regulatory system is not strengthened. He has demanded to take strict steps immediately.

Was out of gray list in 2022
Significantly, Pakistan was put in the gray list of FATF on charges of funding terrorists in 2018. In 2022, Pakistan came out of it with great difficulty in 2022 after monitoring and accepting the conditions for a long time. Now non-registard fintech platforms, crypto wallets and hidden digital transactions can again trap Pakistan in the same trap.