ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party on Wednesday denied seeking the revocation of Pakistan’s special trade status with the European Union (EU) after the country’s newly appointed information minister, Attaullah Tarar, made the accusation in a news conference earlier in the day.
The EU’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) policy allows developing states to export their products duty-free after ratifying 27 international conventions related to human rights, environment and governance.
Pakistan is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the scheme, which continues to make its exports to European markets competitive at a time when production costs in the country have substantially increased due to escalating fuel and power prices.
Tarar claimed the PTI had been attempting to convince the EU that its founding leader, Imran Khan, had not been receiving adequate facilities in prison, where he has been held on various charges following his conviction in a graft case last August.
“The PTI has approached the EU and started a series of online petitions urging the European authorities to withdraw Pakistan’s GSP+ status, alleging that their leader, Imran Khan, is not receiving adequate facilities in jail,” the information minister asserted during the press conference in the federal capital, labeling the campaign as a conspiracy against the country and an economic assault.
He noted that Khan had been afforded privileges not granted to other prisoners, including access to three rooms, a kitchen, a gallery for walking, exercise equipment, and his choice of food.
“The GSP+ status will remain intact regardless of the baseless campaign initiated by PTI,” Tarar emphasized.
In response, Khan’s party spokesperson, Raoof Hassan, denied the information minister’s claims, asserting they lacked credibility.
“We have not approached or written any such letter to the EU, and we have not ever thought of writing a letter,” he told Arab News. “Why should we do that?”
He said the PTI always issued a press statement whenever it took any action.
“During a recent visit, both EU and Commonwealth delegations met with various political parties, including PTI and no other engagement with the EU took place than this,” he said.
Hassan pointed out that even the party’s recent letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) explicitly said it aimed not to impede Pakistan’s funding.
“Upholding human rights is our constitutional duty,” he added, “and we will continue to advocate and highlight rights violations.”
The PTI spokesperson also said Khan had not made any personal demands during his incarceration and was only receiving the facilities he was entitled to according to the jail manual.
