Brussels: The European Union has expressed serious concerns over human rights abuses in Pakistan, warning that the country’s continued access to the trade benefits under Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) granted by the EU will depend on compliance with its international commitments under the revised GSP rules from 2027.
In its latest joint monitoring report for the 2023-2025 period, the European Commission and the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy noted that Pakistan faced shortcomings in complying with its obligations under the GSP+ framework during the review period.
According to the report, Pakistan has “regressed in a number of areas while positive change was limited,” raising alarm over the rule of law and shrinking space for civil society.
“Enforced disappearances and extrajudicial killings increased, without accountability for perpetrators. Freedom of expression deteriorated due to further amendments to cybercrime, anti-terrorism and blasphemy laws, allowing for vague provisions to be used against dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, minorities and ordinary citizens. This includes criminal and administrative procedures that may result in imprisonment, financial confiscation or denial of travel abroad,” said the report, highlighting worsening human rights conditions in Pakistan.
“Recent constitutional amendments have been criticised for further undermining judicial independence. This compounds with issues like obstacles to fair trial and access to justice. Forced labour continued to affect too many,” it added.
The report noted that recent amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act and related legislation in Pakistan’s provinces in Balochistan and Punjab appear to authorise preventive, arbitrary detention without charge or trial and without meaningful judicial review or effective remedies.
“Together with other legislation such as the Actions (in Aid of Civil Power) Regulation, this risks blurring the line between legitimate law enforcement measures and enforced disappearances, and being used in a discriminatory or disproportionate manner against persons belonging to minority groups, political dissidents, human rights defenders, journalists, students and family members of victims,” said the report.
The joint EU assessment further stated that limitations on freedom of expression and access to information in Pakistan remained serious and persistent, noting that despite the passage of laws aimed at protecting journalists, media freedom in the country continued to deteriorate, with the working environment becoming increasingly hostile and dangerous.
The report also cited cases of intimidation, administrative and judicial harassment, and violence against journalists reporting on sensitive issues.
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws continued to be misused for personal gain, according to the report, with a “negative impact” on freedom of expression while disproportionately affecting individuals from minority religious communities.
“Authorities highlighted existing legal safeguards and provincial Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for case handling, and judicial oversight as measures to curb misuse of the laws. However, these prove to be ineffective, with persistent reports of procedural delays, intimidation, and extrajudicial violence impacting blasphemy cases. There has been no prosecution of false accusations of blasphemy to date. Blasphemy laws are also misused for personal gain,” the report stated.
Highlighting the persecution of minorities, it said they continue to face varying levels of discrimination, individual attacks, mob violence and destruction of their places of worship.
The EU said that prosecution of hate crimes against minorities in Pakistan remained limited, fostering impunity for perpetrators and fear among victims. It added that Pakistan’s legal framework failed to adequately recognise and protect religious, ethnic and linguistic minorities.
(IANS)
