Rights advocates have called on the European Union to probe Pakistan’s human rights situation—particularly the treatment of religious minorities—as a monitoring mission begins on November 24th to assess Pakistan’s eligibility for the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) trade benefits. Under GSP+, beneficiary countries must implement 27 UN conventions on human rights, labour rights, good governance and the environment. Pakistan has enjoyed this status since 2014, leading to an estimated 108 percent increase in textile exports to the EU thanks to reduced or zero tariffs .
The EU mission, postponed from June due to the Iran–Israel conflict, will meet government officials, civil society groups, workers and the private sector. Its findings will inform whether Pakistan retains its GSP+ status beyond the current term, which runs until 2027 . The review is considered critical because Pakistan must reapply under a revised scheme taking effect in 2027.
Akmal Bhatti, chairman of the Minorities Alliance Pakistan, said the government has failed to protect citizens’ constitutional rights. He argued that Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are misused in collusion with state institutions and that Christians face systemic discrimination . Bhatti criticised authorities for not arresting leaders of the banned Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) who allegedly orchestrated attacks on churches and Christian homes in August 2023. He also urged passage of laws to criminalise forced faith conversions and child marriages and to raise the legal marriage age to 18 . Bhatti called on the EU to question why a draft bill addressing these issues has stalled and to support ending constitutional bars that prevent non‑Muslims from serving as Pakistan’s president or prime minister .
Aslam Pervaiz Sahotra, chairman of the Pakistan Masiha Millat Party, echoed concerns that human rights conditions have deteriorated. He warned that continuing trade privileges despite ongoing abuses sends a message that economic interests outweigh human rights and urged the EU to ensure its trade policies uphold accountability and the rule of law .
EU Ambassador to Pakistan Raimundas Karoblis said Islamabad must demonstrate more progress on its international obligations to retain GSP+ status . According to Karoblis, the EU mission will scrutinise Pakistan’s compliance across a range of issues, including protections for minorities, the death penalty, blasphemy laws, enforced disappearances, women’s rights, and child and forced labour . He noted that enforced disappearances remain a priority concern for the EU .
Pakistan’s GSP+ status was extended in 2023 through 2027, but the current review cycle will heavily influence its reapplication under the new scheme. A 2022 report by Pakistan’s commerce ministry indicates that, in return for implementing the 27 UN conventions, the country benefits from duty-free or minimum-duty access for exports such as apparel, home textiles and surgical instruments . Official figures show Pakistan’s exports to the EU reached about US$3.17 billion from July to October, up from US$3.0 billion a year earlier. The EU’s monitoring framework prioritises 13 key areas—including enforced disappearances, torture prevention, freedom of expression and minority rights, violence against women, and corruption—and requires regular reporting and public review every two years.
