The European Union has expressed concerns over forced disappearance, torture and restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan in violation of international treaties, urging Islamabad to implement laws in their true spirit for the protection of economic, social and political rights.
The joint monitoring report of Pakistan’s Generalized Scheme of Preference, known as GSP Plus, has also raised questions on “pervasive corruption” and the use of anti-corruption rhetoric and legal cases for political purposes.
The report, released on Tuesday, also underlined that “despite continuous civilian rule since 2008, the military has played a role in politics and the economy” of Pakistan.
The EU block has released the report as part of monitoring the implementation of the 27 international conventions that Pakistan has signed and committed to implementing for continuous duty-free access to European markets.
“While legislative reforms are significant, important concerns remain, notably on enforced disappearances, on allegations of torture as well as on restrictions of freedom of expression, and media freedom,” states the joint monitoring report.