Pakistan on Thursday reaffirmed its strong commitment to the GSP+ (Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus) framework, underscoring the central role of the Pakistan-EU partnership in governance reforms, institutional strengthening, and sustainable development.

The announcement came during a meeting in Islamabad between Human Rights Minister Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar and a European Union monitoring delegation led by Sergio Balibrea, Advisor to the GSP+ Directorate.

As one of the largest beneficiaries of GSP+, Pakistan highlighted the programme’s impact on advancing human rights protections and aligning domestic laws with international standards.

Senator Tarar emphasised the country’s robust constitutional and legal safeguards, citing Pakistan’s recent election to the UN Human Rights Council as evidence of international confidence in its constructive role.

The minister reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to upholding human rights amid challenges posed by counter-terrorism and climate change.

Implementation of National Action Plans on human rights is underway at federal and provincial levels, with key initiatives promoting gender equality shared with the EU delegation.

Pakistan also emphasised its commitment to freedom of expression and media safety, supported by the National Commission for Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals.

The EU delegation was briefed on measures, including reductions in capital offences, enforcement of the Mercy Petition Policy, the Torture and Custodial Death Act, and the resolution of over 85% of cases by the Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearances.

Senator Tarar assured the EU delegation that the government remains fully committed to its obligations under GSP+. He welcomed EU suggestions to enhance data integration, inter-provincial coordination, treaty reporting, and implementation mechanisms.