India on Thursday said that Pakistan continuing to be in Financial Action Task Force's (FATF) 'Grey List' vindicates its position that Islamabad has not taken appropriate action against terror financing and safe havens which exist in that country.
"Pakistan continues to be on the FATF's Grey List. It is yet to show action on 13 out of 27 items of its FATF Action Plan. This is despite all the deadlines of completing the action expired long ago," MEA spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said during an online press briefing.
"The continued Greylisting of Pakistan vindicates our position that Pakistan has not taken appropriate action against terror financing and safe havens which exist in that country," he added.
On Wednesday, Pakistan received another extension on the Grey List during the FATF plenary session.
Pakistan will likely remain in the Grey List till February 2021 even if it completes all its action plan items by October 2020 as an on-site visit by the FATF team would have to be held to confirm completion of the plan.
On Pakistan trying to get Indian nationals listed under the UN 1267 sanctions list, Srivastava said: "This could have only been expected given that those states sponsoring terrorism obviously do not have any credibility whether it is on leveling fictitious charges against others or on their propaganda campaign on Jammu and Kashmir."
The spokesperson also said that the repatriation of 748 stranded Indians, stuck in Pakistan due to COVID-19 crisis, has started.
"Repatriation of Indian nationals has started today from the ICP Attari and this will continue tomorrow and day after. Till now, 748 Indians have registered to return from Pakistan. We are facilitating their return in coordination with Indian High Commission in Pakistan and the state government," he said.
Answering a query on Orgsation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) contact group meeting over Jammu and Kashmir, Srivastava said, "OIC has no locus standi to comment on internal affairs of India, including the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. OIC should desist from making such unwanted references," he said.
( With inputs from ANI )