Geneva: European lawmakers, experts call to suspend Pakistan's GSP+ over human rights abuses

Geneva [Switzerland], October 1 (ANI): A side event at the 60th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) reignited debate over Pakistan's preferential trade status with the European Union, as European Parliamentarians and rights experts urged the immediate temporary suspension of Islamabad's GSP+ benefits over human rights abuses.

The session, titled "Human Rights in Pakistan. Europe's Dilemma: Pakistan, GSP+ & Human Rights", was co-organised by EU Today and the European Facilitation Platform (EFP), and featured the premiere of an exclusive investigative documentary on the issue.

Delivering the keynote address, European Parliament Member Barbara Bonte warned that the EU's economic incentives had unintentionally strengthened radical religious education in Pakistan. She argued that education, which should serve as the foundation of any society, has been undermined by the proliferation of Islamic schools, or madrasas, many of which have become hubs of religious extremism.

Bonte highlighted that what began as a few hundred institutions has now swelled to over 30,000, producing students with limited basic knowledge while reinforcing extremist ideologies. She concluded her remarks by urging the European Union to temporarily suspend Pakistan's GSP+ status, insisting that Europe could not continue funding policies that contribute to radicalisation.

Speaking on the issue, Barbara Bonte said, "We spoke about the GSP+ programme. It is a form of trade preference that the European Union has granted to Pakistan. Pakistan has to fulfil many commitments before it can receive it. For example, they have to respect human rights, and they have to respect freedom of religion. However, in fact, none of those conditions have been fulfilled by Pakistan. So they don't fulfil those commitments. And they are still receiving trade preferences and financial aid for education in Pakistan. So yeah, it's not fulfilled, and still they receive a lot of taxpayers' money from the European Union. And we want to stop this."

She further noted, "I called for the suspension of GSP+ status to Pakistan because of its promotion of religious extremism. And because of the money to promote religious extremism through madrassas. That's a very serious issue because the madrassas have come from a few hundred to more than 30,000 in Pakistan. And it's still the top of the iceberg, I think, because we can't see the big thing about it. But it's a serious issue. It also has a lot of consequences because you have, for example, leaders of the Taliban who have been recruited there. Also, extremists who carry out terror attacks in Europe, in the West, come from those schools. So it's a grave concern for Pakistan, but also for Europe and for the West."

Bonte recalled that the matter had already been raised twice in the European Parliament. "This issue has already been discussed twice on the agenda of the plenary in the European Parliament. It's twice. So, they approved suspending the GSP+ status, but the European Commission is still refusing it. So I will raise it on the agenda in November. So, I will put it on the agenda again to raise awareness about this severe matter. And yeah, I hope this time the European Commission will listen to us."

Inna Chefranova, Executive Director of the European Facilitation Platform (EFP), echoed these concerns during her expert presentation, noting that Pakistan has consistently failed to meet the human rights conditionality tied to the GSP+ framework.

Chefranova said, "This issue is very serious. It has been spotted already by many human rights defenders. Even twice, as you heard in the conference, the issue has been raised in the European Parliament. So there were two resolutions in 2014. Even before it started, there was a resolution to force Pakistan to comply with conventions. Because, I mean, people saw where this was going. And then in 2021, based on blasphemy cases, there was another call to suspend. We are not calling to stop it. We are calling for the suspension of this until Pakistan meets the GSP+ criteria. And this is a value-based mechanism. Its value. So Pakistan has to implement values in exchange for money, for trade benefits."

She added, "Trade benefits are huge. Pakistan is the most significant country in this scheme due to its size. Because it's a nuclear power. And as Jan Figel in the film said, if there is one GSP+ that should be exemplary, it is Pakistan's GSP+. But this is not happening. And we are trying to understand why."

Criticising the European Commission's approach, Chefranova noted, "Then nothing happened. It is just getting extended and extended and extended. And the situation with human rights is worsening. So two years ago, the European Commission extended this for another five years. Although there were conferences, people, and human rights activists, they raised this issue. There were demonstrations in Brussels regarding this issue. This time, since we know that a review was conducted this summer, I believe the results of this review will be published in October or November of this year. So we are looking forward to those results."

She explained the reasoning behind their campaign, "We decided to run this campaign. So, we produced this documentary based on interviews with senior EU officials who are themselves saying that this is wrong, and what is going on. And they are responsible for the victim. Therefore, the European Commission is also responsible, as it adopts this lax attitude. And on the other hand, if Pakistan sees that the European Commission doesn't follow its own rules, because those rules I described are a contract, as I said. It was signed by Pakistan. Then why should Pakistan follow the rules? It's setting an awful example. And I think it's even encouraging bad behaviour."

On the campaign's impact, Chefranova said, "We actually premiered it in the Council of Europe in Strasbourg two days ago in front of a group of national members of parliaments. It was a very good, very interactive event. It appears that people in European countries and beyond the EU are also aware of this. So we had a very good interactive session. Some people ask, 'Is this true?' What other mechanisms are there? They waste money in this way, and while encouraging this kind of horrific, horrific human rights abuses. And so we also produced a brochure which explains in popular terms the mechanism, the abuses, the breach."

She added, "It also outlines a very clear mechanism of what the European Commission should do to stop. And again, I repeat, we are not calling for a complete suspension. Or to stop it. We are calling for a temporary suspension until Pakistan meets its obligations. We also produced a white paper, based on the European Commission's own documents. So the European Commission had contracts. We explained which articles they could temporarily suspend, especially since there were also precedents regarding suspension. So, Myanmar is a case in point, as are Belarus and some other countries. So it's possible."

On precedents, she explained, "It's possible. Additionally, the European Commission suspended the ethanol trade this summer. That wasn't based on human rights. However, that was because ethanol producers in Europe had requested it. They said that we are facing unfair competition from Pakistan. So, can we stop? Then the Commission stopped. But basically only based on economic grounds."

Chefranova concluded, "I think we need to make a very strong signal to Pakistan. We've been to many events where GSP+ was discussed, which were organised by the European External Action Service. So their experience when they go to Pakistan to discuss with officials, sometimes they are even ignored. However, if you examine the money, it may not be ignored, as the UN has conventions. ILO, International Labour Organisation, has this convention. However, it lacks a monetary mechanism. It doesn't have anything to take from Pakistan. While the European Commission granted Pakistan, it can take some time. That's the best mechanism to use. Okay, we will see."

The event also featured a 15-minute documentary that explored allegations of EU funds being misused in educational institutions linked to extremism, as well as Pakistan's deteriorating human rights record, including misuse of blasphemy laws, restrictions on civil liberties, and persecution of religious minorities.

The debate was further sharpened by the recent release of a European Union White Paper titled "Assessment of Pakistan's Non-Compliance with GSP+ Obligations: A Case for Suspension under Regulation (EU) No 978/2012."

The report provided detailed evidence of Pakistan's shortcomings in implementing the 27 international conventions required under the scheme, including concerns over enforced disappearances, child and bonded labour, suppression of trade unions, weak environmental protections, judicial independence, and corruption.

Since 2014, Pakistan has benefited from preferential access to EU markets under the GSP+ scheme, but successive reviews by the European Commission and Parliament have highlighted persistent and serious violations. With mounting pressure from EU institutions and rights groups, the European Commission now faces growing calls in Geneva and beyond to suspend Pakistan's GSP+ status. (ANI)

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