Pakistan to attain extension in GSP+ status: Ahsan Iqbal

June 22, 2022: Federal Minister for Planning and Reforms Ahsan Iqbal, on Wednesday, said the government was positively engaged with the European Union Monitoring Mission expecting the extension of GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) status for Pakistan for next 10 years, which was set to expire on Dec 31, 2023.

It is pertinent to mention that there is zero per cent duty on several export products under this GSP plus status.

Talking to private news channel, the minister said Pakistan was demonstrating a tangible progress on implementing conventions (as per the commitments made to EU) on human and labour rights, environmental protection, climate change and good governance.

The minister said that the talks with International Monetary Fund (IMF) was in the final stages for the release of $1 billion tranche, as he hoped the impasse to break soon.

He said the previous PTI government had violated their commitments made with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for getting financial assistance.

He said that the investors’ confidence was being restored due the enabling environment that the government was providing to untapped potential investment, resulting Saudi and Bahrain investors’ delegation arrived in to hold talks with the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The Bahrain delegation has planned to invest $ 7 billion in the country, he apprised.

Ahsan Iqbal also denied the disinformation about the discontinuation of Ehsaas Programme, saying, instead, the government expanded the BISP programme.

Responding to a question pertaining to the corruption case against PML-Q leader, Moonis Elahi, he said the government had reviewed the case and discovered it was registered in the PTI government.

APP