EU urged to suspend Pakistan’s trade benefits over human rights violations

Politicians and human rights organizations have called on the European Union (EU) to suspend Pakistan’s preferential tariff benefits for exports under the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) until the country takes concrete steps to address widespread human rights violations and religious persecution, according to a report by Human Rights Without Frontiers(HRWF).

This demand follows growing concerns over Pakistan’s record on human rights, particularly the treatment of religious minorities and the alarming rise in forced child marriages.

Willy Fautre, Director of Human Rights Without Frontiers, criticized the EU for its failure to hold Pakistan accountable. He stated that over the years, many parliamentary questions and resolutions have highlighted Pakistan’s disregard for human rights and its lack of political will to address these violations. By failing to sanction Pakistan’s non-implementation of GSP+, the EU is misusing the taxpayers’ money and losing its credibility as a commercial entity guided by human values, HRWF reported.

Despite the EU’s long-standing awareness of human rights abuses, including the fabrication of blasphemy charges, violence against religious minorities, and the funding of schools fostering religious extremism, the situation has remained largely unchanged for over a decade, as reported by HRWF.

Meanwhile, Lakhu Luhana, Secretary General of the World Sindhi Congress, voiced his concerns about the deteriorating human rights conditions in Pakistan. He lamented,” The human rights situation in Pakistan, including the persecution of religious minorities such as Hindus, Christians, Ahmadis, and Sikhs, is becoming abhorrently worse. This includes their systematic marginalization, discrimination, attacks on their places of worship, and the creation of an atmosphere of hate and fear. There are also hundreds of heart-wrenching stories of young girls being forcibly abducted, converted, and married off to much older abductors. This throws them into a life of perpetual sexual slavery and severance from their families. Once gone, no one knows about their existence or well-being.”

He went on to call for urgent action from the EU: “We request the EU to intervene and help stop these atrocities. Despite abundant evidence from reputable international institutions, we believe sending an EU fact-finding mission would be a useful step. Most importantly, the EU must impose sanctions on Pakistan, including withdrawing its GSP+ status. This status is currently providing financial support to the perpetrators of these heinous acts.”

Razzak Baloch, Secretary General of Baloch American Congress also lamented the human rights abuses against the minorities in Pakistan and said, “Pakistan was created with hatred toward the Hindu religion and the forced conversion of young Hindu girls. If the West wants to pressure Pakistan, they must stop using this mercenary army. Pakistan will go bankrupt.”