EU envoy indicates extension of GSP+ to Pakistan beyond 2023

May 30, 2022: Chargé d’Affaires of the European Union Delegation to Pakistan Thomas Seiler said that GSP status beyond 2023 was possible for Pakistan as the government had ensured the EU that all efforts to comply with EU requirements would be made.

He was speaking at a Conference on “Human Rights Reforms in Sindh – GSP+ and Beyond” organized by the Human Rights Department, Government of Sindh here at a local hotel on Monday.

Sindh Minister for Labour, Human Resource Saeed Ghani was the chief guest, while the Special Assistant to CM Sindh Surendar Valasai inaugurated the conference attended by human rights activists, officers of various departments, public representatives, civil society and labour rights activists and minorities’ representatives.

The conference passed a resolution asking the EU to continue GSP+ as it contributes to trade and employment creation, while committing to work together to improve the human rights' situation.

Thomas Seiler said in the next phase of the Generalised System of Preference there would be more international conventions and covenants. These instruments would pertain to the recognition of the competence of the UN Human Rights Council to consider complaints from individuals, abolish the death penalty and the requirement to recognize the International Criminal Court - ICC (for genocide, crime against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression). “The final regulation can be expected before the end of the year,” he remarked.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest Saeed Ghani said the Sindh government was leading all the provinces in making legislation for the protection of rights of labour, women, minorities and people with disabilities.

“We consider the protection of people’s rights as our duty rather than an obligation to an international commitment,” Saeed Ghani said adding that the provincial government had made all the laws on its own as the Pakistan People's Party committed to this cause, he remarked.

“We need support from the international community to provide a favourable environment for the government and businesses to implement the laws,” he said. On the occasion, Special

Assistant to Sindh CM Surendar Valasai said Human Rights Department had developed a Provincial Human Rights Policy with an aim to create compliance with the human rights obligations in addition to implementing national and provincial human rights framework.

He said that Sindh Human Rights department was working to accomplish of the mission of the PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari who was taking a keen interest in the promotion and protection of human rights.

The Chief Minister of Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah had recently approved a special grant of Rs. 50 million to Human Rights Department to provide legal to the vulnerable groups in Sindh.

APP