ISLAMABAD (AP) — The European Union on Friday warned Pakistan that its status as a duty-free exporter to the bloc will continue to depend on the progress the country makes in addressing concerns about civil and labor rights, and freedom of speech.
The warning came as Olof Skoog, the EU’s special representative for human rights, wrapped up a weeklong visit to Islamabad.
The visit was aimed at engaging “Pakistan on the most pressing human rights and labor rights issues and discussing Pakistan’s plans to address them, including in view of the ongoing assessment under the GSP+ trade scheme,” the EU said in a statement.
Pakistan’s exports to Europe have doubled since 2014 when it was awarded the status of duty-free exporter under the EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus, or GSP+, incentives for developing countries.
However, the EU statement warned Pakistan that the trade benefits enjoyed by it “under GSP+ depend on the progress made on addressing a list of issues, including on human rights, and tangible reforms remain essential.”
It said that 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% since the launch of the trade scheme in 2014.” But, the statement said that “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 statement said that Skoog, during his meeting with Pakistani authorities, “highlighted areas of concern such as the application of 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.”
Though international community and human rights groups often express their concern over increasing government curbs on media, violation of human rights, the latest development came days after Pakistan’s parliament passed a bill that critics argue is designed to suppress freedom of speech.
The bill, which now has become a law after President Asif Ali Zardari’s approval, grants the government extensive powers to impose heavy fines and incarcerate social media users for spreading disinformation. Journalists rallied on Friday across Pakistan, vowing to resist any laws aimed at suppressing freedom of speech.
Pakistan’s media has faced growing censorship in recent years, but the government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif says the law is necessary to limit the spread of disinformation.