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The
warning came at the end of a visit to Islamabad by Olof Skoog,
the EU's special representative for human rights, which the EU
said was aimed at engaging Pakistan on “the most pressing human
rights and labor rights issues and discussing Pakistan’s plans
to address them.”
It said that trade benefits provided to Pakistan under the
Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) depend on the
“progress made on addressing a list of issues, including on
human rights," adding that "tangible reforms remain essential.”
Pakistan's exports to Europe have doubled since 2014 when it was
awarded the status of duty-free exporter under GSP+.
The EU statement said: "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.”
It 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.”
Skoog's visit had “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.”
The latest development came days after Pakistan's parliament
passed a bill that critics argue is designed to suppress freedom
of speech. The legislation, which has been approved by President
Asif Ali Zardari, 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 by anti-state
elements, including Pakistani Taliban and separatist groups.
A military statement on Friday said security forces had killed
10 militants during four separate raids in various parts of the
restive northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, which borders
Afghanistan.
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