Geneva, 25 March 2026
At a high-level side event during the 61st session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, organized by Global Human Rights Defence, European lawmakers, legal experts, and international advocates delivered a unified and urgent message: Pakistan must no longer benefit from preferential trade access while systematically violating fundamental human rights.
The discussion centered on Pakistan’s continued access to the European Union’s GSP+ trade scheme, a privilege contingent upon strict adherence to international human rights conventions. Speakers highlighted overwhelming evidence that these obligations are not being met.
Barbara Bonte opened the session with a clear warning: trade preferences must not be treated as automatic entitlements. She emphasized that the European Commission has received a formal white paper detailing widespread and systemic rights violations across Pakistan.
Particular alarm was raised over the deteriorating situation of religious minorities. Nicolaos Breas underscored the abuse of blasphemy laws to target Christians and Hindus, pointing to rising cases of violence, forced conversions, and coerced marriages. He called for measurable benchmarks—such as a reduction in false accusations—as minimum conditions for any continuation of trade benefits.
The event also exposed intensifying political repression. Zulfi Bukhari described a sweeping crackdown on opposition figures and independent media, with journalists silenced, intimidated, or forced into exile.
A deeply troubling account was delivered by Kasim Khan regarding the imprisonment of former Prime Minister Imran Khan. He revealed that Khan has been held in prolonged solitary confinement under inhumane conditions, with restricted access to family and medical care. Serious concerns about his health and safety continue to mount.
Testimony from Naseem Baloch further highlighted enforced disappearances and widespread repression in Balochistan, including cases affecting his own family. Meanwhile, geopolitical analyst Rafael Khalivotis warned that systemic instability is fueling mass migration, often exploited by transnational smuggling networks.
A Call for Immediate Action
The message from Geneva is unequivocal:
The European Union must end the automatic renewal of Pakistan’s GSP+ status.
Economic privileges cannot come at the expense of human dignity, rule of law, and basic freedoms. Pakistan must demonstrate verifiable, measurable progress in protecting its citizens—regardless of religion, ethnicity, or political affiliation—before continuing to benefit from preferential trade access.
Human Rights Are Not Negotiable
The continued detention of Imran Khan, widely regarded as politically motivated, alongside growing concerns about his health, underscores a broader crisis of justice in Pakistan. No individual—regardless of political standing—should be denied due process, humane treatment, or access to medical care.
The international community must not remain silent.
Global Human Rights Defence calls upon:
• The European Commission to urgently review Pakistan’s GSP+ compliance
• EU Member States to demand strict conditionality tied to measurable human rights benchmarks
• International bodies to monitor political prisoners and ensure access to medical care
• Media and civil society to amplify the voices of victims and hold perpetrators accountable
Justice, dignity, and human rights must prevail over political convenience.