File photo. Daniel Roland—AFP
The European Union, in the fourth GSP Report reviewing Pakistan’s preferential trade status, has stressed on the state’s inability to enforce human rights laws, as well as ongoing concerns related to enforced disappearances and curbs on freedom of expression.
Covering the period 2020-2022, the report was jointly compiled by the European Commission and the European External Action Service. It noted this cycle coincided with “unprecedented economic, political, and environmental challenges,” including the COVID-19 pandemic, inflation, and last year’s devastating floods. “Despite the political turmoil with a change of government on federal level and strong tensions between government and opposition at federal and provincial level, Pakistan has undertaken important legislative steps in areas linked to its sustainable development in line with GSP+,” it noted, adding that this must continue and implementation ensured to achieve tangible improvements for all Pakistanis.
According to the report, Pakistan is the largest exporter to the E.U. under the GSP+ trade scheme and the E.U. is Pakistan’s most important export destination. “However, Pakistan relies significantly on textile and apparel for its exports. Export diversification would help Pakistan reduce its trade imbalances and would also increase its resilience to external economic pressures and shocks,” it said, adding that political will to maintain the GSP+ eligibility needed to be coupled with more determined action for implementing reforms, in particular to better protect human and labor rights.
Acknowledging that Pakistan had adopted “important laws” in human rights since 2020, including preventing and punishing torture; the protection of journalists; gender-based violence; preventing domestic violence; promoting women’s rights, it said substantial efforts were needed to ensure their implementation. “Other legislative initiatives, including a law on enforced disappearances and a federal law on domestic violence, would, if adopted, constitute important steps towards the implementation of international human rights conventions in Pakistan,” it added.
However, it continued, “significant, important concerns” remained on enforced disappearances; allegations of torture; restrictions of freedom of expression; and media freedom. Freedom of belief, it said, continued to regularly and urged the government to act and clear positions against the discrimination of minorities, religious sects and vulnerable persons; the misuse of blasphemy laws; and the risk of false accusations, mob violence and even mob lynching.
It also noted restrictions on NGOs and civil society, while lamenting the trend observed during the monitoring period of journalists “disappearing” or being assaulted. Online trolls, it said, often launched targeted campaigns against individuals critical of the military and civilian government. As a result, it said, many journalists had resorted to self-censorship as a means of survival.
Additionally, it said, political activists, human rights defenders and elected representatives were also finding their “freedom of expression curtailed through various administrative, legal and other measures.” To counter this, it suggested, Pakistan should facilitate a local branch of the U.N. Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The report also raised questions about “pervasive corruption,” and the use of anti-corruption rhetoric and legal cases for political purposes. It further underlined that “despite continuous civilian rule since 2008, the military had played an outsized role in politics and the economy” of the country.
Referring to the May 9 riots, it noted that in its aftermath many protesters were arrested and taken for trial, including at military and anti-terrorism courts. This, it warned, “implies a very wide interpretation of the notion of terrorism and gives rise to concerns about compliance with Article 14 of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights, guaranteeing the right to a trial by a competent, independent, and impartial tribunal.” Referring to the military trials of civilians—already nullified by the Supreme Court—it said these raised “serious problems as far as the equitable, impartial, and independent administration of justice is concerned.”
In a statement issued on the publication of the report, E.U. Ambassador to Pakistan Riina Kionka noted that Pakistani society had benefited from the GSP+ status. “It has undeniably increased awareness of human rights at the grassroots level, of labor rights within businesses and export supply chains and of the significance of environmental considerations and good governance,” she said. “However, the full potential of the GSP+ benefit can only be realized by diversifying Pakistan’s exports to include more value-added products,” she added.
The E.U. review is considered essential to tracking progress on 27 key international rules—covering human and labor rights; environmental standards; good governance—by countries benefiting from the GSP+ scheme. The last report was issued in February 2020.
In October, Pakistan’s GSP+ was extended for another four years until 2027, allowing the country to continue enjoying duty-free or minimum duty on exports to the European market. According to the report, since securing GSP+ status in 2014, Pakistan’s exports to the E.U. have increased by 108 percent, while imports by 65 percent. The total trade volume increased from €8.3 billion in 2013 to €14.85 billion in 2022, it said.