EU’s envoy in Pakistan to discuss human rights issues in view of GSP+ status

ISLAMABAD: European Union’s Special Representative for Human Rights (EUSR) Ambassador Olof Skoog arrived in Pakistan for a week. He held meetings with multiple officials and discussed human rights, labour rights, minority rights, and accountability for violations of these rights. The envoy also discussed Pakistan’s plans to address these issues, in view of the ongoing assessment of the country’s GSP+ trade scheme.

The EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) offers special incentives to developing countries to promote sustainable development and good governance.

During his visit, Ambassador Skoog held meetings with federal and provincial government ministers, military leadership, and officials of multinational institutions including the United Nations. The ambassador also met with civil society members including human rights lawyers, media representatives, and the officials from the business sector.

The website of EU’s Delegation to Pakistan said that during his meeting with the Minister for Information Attaullah Tarar, the EU Envoy said, “Pakistan remains a key partner for the EU in South Asia. Our relationship is built on shared values of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, guided by the principles of the UN Charter and international norms. The EU welcomes the fact that Pakistan has become the largest beneficiary of GSP+, with Pakistani businesses increasing their exports to the EU market by 108 per cent since the launch of the trade scheme in 2014.

The statement added, “As we approach the midterm of the current monitoring cycle, we encourage Pakistan to continue on its reform path as it prepares for reapplication under the upcoming new GSP+ regulation. The trade benefits under GSP+ depend on the progress made on addressing a list of issues, including on human rights, and tangible reforms remain essential.”

The EUSR also met with Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar, and Federal Minister of Law, Justice and Human Rights Azam Nazeer Tarar among others. In these meetings, the EU ambassador highlighted blasphemy laws, women’s rights, forced marriages and conversions, enforced disappearances, freedoms of expression, religion or belief, independence of the media, impunity for rights violations, due process and the right to a fair trial, civic space, and the death penalty.

The agenda of the meeting between the EUSR and Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi included judicial backlog and independence of the judiciary.

In the context of the upcoming GSP+ monitoring mission, the EUSR encouraged Pakistani authorities to ensure implementation of all relevant international conventions, the statement published by the website added.