The ministry (FO) has rubbished Indian media’s claims that Pakistan’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status was being withdrawn, calling such reports “fabricated” and a continuation of the latest Delhi’s “malicious propaganda” against Islamabad.
While the FO statement didn’t the precise media report it had been pertaining to, the rebuttal comes after Indian press agency ANI reported on July 26 that the ECU Parliament had moved to withdraw Pakistan’s GSP+ status over “abuse of blasphemy laws”.
In response, FO spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudri, during a statement issued late on Tuesday, said that the item was “fabricated and a continuation of India’s malicious propaganda against Pakistan”.
“India’s malicious smear campaign against Pakistan is well-known and independent organizations, including EU DisinfoLab, have established India’s credentials as [a] purveyor of anti-Pakistan propaganda globally,” he said.
The news item by an Indian News Agency speculating withdrawal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status is fabricated and a continuation of India’s malicious propaganda against Pakistan. 1/3
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 27, 2021
He said that the Indian state and “obliging” Indian media remained busy “concocting baseless stories against Pakistan” despite the unearthing of India’s disinformation campaign.
“The recent rumors are yet one more demonstration of India’s nefarious designs,” he said.
The spokesman said that Pakistan and therefore the European Union maintain close high-level engagement through multiple dialogue mechanisms, adding that the country remains committed to the complete implementation of the 27 international conventions associated with the preferential trade regime.
“Pakistan has successfully completed three biennial reviews of GSP+ and therefore the fourth biennial review is currently underway.
“Currently, the ECU parliament is on summer recess till autumn and there has been no discussion on Pakistan since April,” the FO spokesman concluded.
The news item by an Indian News Agency speculating withdrawal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status is fabricated and a continuation of India’s malicious propaganda against Pakistan. 1/3
— Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Pakistan (@ForeignOfficePk) July 27, 2021
The GSP+ may be a special trading arrangement that gives developing countries preferential access to European markets by slashing tariffs to zero on most products.
The countries taking advantage of the scheme need to implement 27 international conventions associated with human rights, labor rights, protection of the environment, and good governance.
Pakistan, which has ratified all 27 conventions, has been taking advantage of the GSP+ status since January 2014. Its GSP+ status was extended for an additional two years in March 2020.
However, the ECU Parliament in April adopted a resolution calling for a review of the GSP+ status granted to Pakistan insight of an “alarming” increase within the use of blasphemy accusations within the country also as rising number of online and offline attacks on journalists and civil society organizations.
The resolution also called on the govt to “unequivocally condemn” incitement to violence and discrimination against religious minorities within the country.
