Saudi, China, Turkey to collectively bar US' terror watchlist move on Pakistan

Washington: China, Saudi Arabia and Turkey-the three close allies of Pakistan-have joined hands to block a move by the Trump administration to place Islamabad on an international terror-financing watch list, a US media report said on Thursday.

While Pakistan has claimed a victory of sorts, the US was working behind the scenes during the ongoing Paris meeting of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) so as to take action against the country which it believes has not acted against terrorist financing and the implementation of the UN Security Council resolutions.

The Wall Street Journal which first reported about the development said this was one of the "rare disagreements" between Saudi Arabia and the



administration of President Donald Trump.

Saudi Arabia, it said was acting on behalf of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

The report said the US is still trying for the FATF to take a decision on this by Thursday.

Pakistan on Wednesday claimed it had foiled US-led efforts to place it on a terror financing watch-list after the country was granted a three-month reprieve by the Paris-based international watchdog FATF.

The FATF, a global body that combats terrorist financing and money laundering, met in Paris amid reports that the US with the support of some European allies was trying to place Pakistan on a list of countries that financially support terrorism.