EU's concerns

The European Commission of the European Union (EU) has in its biannual report on its Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP+) vis-à-vis Pakistan delivered a mixed balance-sheet of progress and failings regarding fulfilment of the country's commitments to meeting the 27 UN conventions that are the trade-off for concessional access to the EU market. As positives the report cites the institutional and capacity development of the Ministry of Human Rights, Treaty Implementation Cells, provincial human rights departments and cooperation with stakeholders. It acknowledges the ministry's efforts for awareness on women's and children's rights with help from the EU. The report takes into account Pakistan's progress in the fight against drugs, with the country leading a UN initiative on education in this regard. On the negative side, more ominously, the report expresses concerns at the state of civil society, freedom of expression, the media, and impunity on enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings. Serious concern is expressed on the broad, vague grounds for cancellation of the registration of international non-government organisations (NGOs). It cites the delay in the appointment of a commissioner for the National Commission for Human Rights as hampering its operation. The report lists the challenges to implementation/enforcement of UN Treaty Body obligations as the gaps/failings in devolved provincial powers under the 18th Amendment, limited institutional coordination and capacity, not to mention scarce human and financial resources, and the effects of the overriding army and security (counter-terrorism) concerns. It focuses attention on the delay in passing of the Anti-Torture Bill that is still stuck in some parliamentary labyrinth. It deplores the high level of impunity for perpetrators of crimes against journalists and human rights defenders. The report comments on the present government's anti-corruption drive by noting the criticism levelled against the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) for being partisan and one-sided in its campaign against the opposition while giving the government a 'free ride'. The report worries about the calls getting louder in Pakistan to strengthen the death penalty (in contrast with the worldwide trend). It argues for the need to bring about a transparent institutional setup. It highlights concerns about rampant forced and bonded labour, protection for collective bargaining and measures against wage discrimination. And last but not least, it bemoans the weakening of the labour inspection system.

The stakes of retaining the advantages that GSP+ confers could not be higher. The arrangement offers partial if not full removal of duties on two-thirds of the EU's tariff lines, the only rub being compliance with the 27 conventions on labour and human rights. To illustrate the benefits of GSP+, it is sufficient to point out that Pakistan tops among the nine countries availing the facility, enjoying 62 percent of all GSP+ imports into the EU in 2019 (74 percent in 2018). In the period 2008-18, EU imports from Pakistan rose from Euros 3.6 billion to 6.8 billion. Since the January 2014 award of GSP+ to Pakistan, there was a 30 percent increase in exports to the EU during 2014-16. This trend has since slowed, but Pakistan still enjoyed a trade surplus of Euros 1.2 billion with the EU in 2018. The EU is now the first export destination for Pakistani goods (34 percent of total exports in 2018), followed by the US (16 percent), China (eight percent), and Afghanistan (five percent). The EU is the third largest source for Pakistan's imports (nine percent in 2018) after China (23 percent) and the UAE (14 percent). These figures speak for themselves. But what the EU report speaks of is our seemingly inexhaustible penchant for being quick to sign international conventions with a progressive tilt (especially if there is the kind of benefit that GSP+ bestows) and equally laggardly about implementing the provisions we have signed on for. The present state of political, legal and human rights, including freedom of expression and freedom from the dreaded hand of the deep state, speaks to the risks attendant on thinking the benefits of GSP+ can continue to be available irrespective of our failures in this regard.