Whosoever suggested to the PM to change the name of Benazir Income Support Programme was certainly no well wisher of his. With friends like him he certainly doesn’t need any enemy. Granted that it is wrong to designate developmental projects after the name of the political figures as they are constructed out of the Taxpayers’money and not from their private purse but this certainly was no time to make an issue out of this non-issue. Small wonder the government had to backtrack on it thus cutting a sorry figure in the matter. The politicians of this country, whether they sit on the treasury benches or in the opposition, are notorious for changing colours like the proverbial chameleon. The MQM , to many of them , till yesterday, was like a red rag to the bull. They had sworn before the public that those leaders of this party who are propagating against Pakistan while living abroad would be brought back to this country handcuffed. Today they have become chummy with them all of a sudden.
The government ought to give special attention to the issues like that of the FATF. It would hang on our head like the sword of Damocles till the end of this year when a decision would be taken by the Financial Action Task Force whether or not to place Pakistan on the black list for allegedly not taking stern action in the matter of terror financing as well as money laundering . A vigorous diplomatic offensive , therefore, needs to be launched by the Foreign minister for obtaining a clean bill of health from the FATF on the issue. Terror financing and money laundering are dangerous propositions. Why on earth our intelligence agencies are soft-pedalling against Ayan Ali, a prime suspect in money laundering?
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