Pakistan is stepping up its fight against money laundering and terror financing 🚨💰, with the federal government rolling out stronger monitoring mechanisms across gold, precious metals, real estate, and other high-risk sectors.
Officials from the Ministry of Finance confirmed that these measures are part of a broader crackdown aimed at protecting the integrity of the country’s financial system.
🪙 Focus on Gold & Precious Metals
One of the key areas under increased scrutiny is the gold and precious metals sector 🪙📊—traditionally viewed as vulnerable to illicit financial flows.
To address this, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) has introduced a new monitoring system designed to curb trade-based money laundering, a risk repeatedly flagged by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ⚠️🌍.
🏠 Real Estate Under the Microscope
The real estate sector—long considered a high-risk avenue for laundering illegal funds—is also facing tighter regulation 🏘️🔍.
Regulators have announced plans to:
- Closely monitor real estate agents and dealers
- Increase transparency in property transactions
- Prevent the use of real estate markets to hide illicit wealth
This move aims to bring greater accountability to one of the economy’s most opaque sectors.
📋 Expanding the Anti-Money Laundering Net
Under an expanded anti-money laundering (AML) framework, authorities will now regulate all non-financial businesses and professions ⚖️📈.
This broadened approach:
- Closes regulatory gaps
- Extends oversight beyond traditional banking
- Covers sectors previously exploited for illicit flows
The goal is simple: leave no blind spots in the financial system.
🤝 Stronger Coordination, Smarter Policy
Responding to IMF concerns, Pakistan is also strengthening inter-agency coordination 🧩🤝.
Key institutions—including the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), State Bank, and Financial Monitoring Unit (FMU)—are jointly assessing the economic impact of trade-based money laundering.
Their findings will feed into the National Risk Assessment Report, expected to be shared with relevant institutions by March 2026 📆📑. This report will serve as a roadmap for targeted policy actions across the financial system.
🗂️ Beneficial Ownership Registry: A Transparency Boost
In another major step toward transparency, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) established a central beneficial ownership registry in July 2025 🗃️🔐.
The registry will be:
- Made available online
- Accessible to financial institutions and law enforcement agencies
- Fully operational by January 2026
This initiative is expected to significantly improve the traceability of ownership structures.
🌍 Staying Compliant Post-FATF
While Pakistan was removed from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list in October 2022 ✅, officials emphasized that the work continues.
The country remains committed to implementing FATF recommendations to safeguard its financial system and maintain global confidence 🌐🛡️.
🔚 The Big Picture
With tighter monitoring, stronger coordination, and enhanced transparency tools, Pakistan is reinforcing its defenses against financial crime. These reforms signal a clear message: illicit financial flows will face increasing resistance across all sectors 🚫💵.