PTI’s Request for Election Audit Draws Criticism from Opponents.
EU Mission Denies PTI Communication on Pakistan’s GSP+ Status. In a recent turn of events, the European Union‘s mission in Islamabad has clarified that it has not received any “official communication” from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party regarding the Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) special trade scheme.
This clarification follows accusations made by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar during a press conference, where he alleged that the PTI had approached the EU and initiated online petitions urging European authorities to revoke Pakistan’s GSP+ status.
The GSP+ status is a crucial trade arrangement offered to developing economies, including Pakistan, in exchange for their commitment to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, environmental protection, and governance.
Despite the expiration of the current GSP framework in December 2023, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in October to extend the scheme for another four years for developing countries.
Samar Saeed Akhtar, the EU Press and Information Officer in Islamabad, emphasized, “We have not received any official communication from PTI regarding GSP+.”
Similarly, the PTI has refuted claims of sending any communication to the EU regarding Pakistan’s GSP+ status. PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan clarified, “During a recent visit, both EU and Commonwealth delegations met with various political parties, including PTI, and no further engagement with the EU occurred beyond this.”
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In a separate incident, last month, the PTI wrote a letter to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), urging for an audit of the disputed February 8 elections before engaging in further bailout talks with Islamabad. However, this action was criticized by Khan’s opponents as an assault on Pakistan’s efforts to achieve economic stability.
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