FATF Asks for Details on Business Persons Using Fake CNICs

The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) has sought the list of business persons registered with tax departments using forged CNIC. FBR has acquired some details about such business persons using forged CNICs, enabling money laundering. According to FBR sources, the FBR has asked the banks for details of the accounts created on these identity cards. The process of detecting fake identity cards started four months ago by NADRA. According to sources, the Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU) first obtained the details of the counterfeit ID cards in a recently concluded investigation regarding suspicious bank accounts and transactions across ten cities of the country. The details are being used to track down those involved in money laundering. Furthermore, a list of the users of forged cards for registration in sales tax will also be compiled. Those who have obtained sales tax registration and import license on fake cards will also be traced. In this regard, the FATF has also handed over the names of Pakistani importers to the Financial Monitoring Unit. Moreover, the ID cards used in remittances, and of the recipients will also be monitored. The FBR sources further revealed that the bureau will first scan the inland and foreign money transactions of the people named in the list of counterfeit ID cards users. The FATF has already pointed out the suspicious financing activity of several individuals.