Pakistan has submitted with the European Union an eight-point National Action Plan for Business and Human Rights (2021-26) during the review of progress on the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) Plus scheme, reports Tribune.
The government has approved the action plan, which will not only be a step towards positive image building but it will also improve Pakistan’s position during the review.
Sources told The Express Tribune that the current GSP scheme would be replaced with a new arrangement, which would come into effect in January 2024.
Officials said that the cabinet, in its meeting held on September 28, approved the action plan for presentation to the EU.
At present, the commerce secretary is participating in the GSP Plus review taking place in Brussels.
According to the officials, all political parties should endorse the action plan like the way they supported the National Action Plan on Security to give a positive signal not only to the EU but also to the entire world.
Sources said that the EU Parliament was set to take up a draft of the new GSP scheme. At present, EU member countries are reviewing the draft.
In the cabinet meeting, the Human Rights Division apprised the forum that the Ministry of Human Rights, with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), had developed Pakistan’s first National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights.
It is based on the United Nations guiding principles on business and human rights. It is a policy document that proposes actions by federal and provincial governments in addition to business entities to meet Pakistan’s commitment to the protection of human rights from the adverse impact of a business activity and create an environment conducive for fostering corporate respect for human rights.
