Pakistan committed to GSP plus scheme and human rights conventions, FO

ISLAMABAD: In response to statements on recent verdicts by military courts, the Foreign Office on Tuesday reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to fulfilling all its international human rights obligations and commitments under the GSP Plus Scheme.

“Pakistan’s legal system is consistent with international human rights law including provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR),” the FO Spokesperson said in a statement.

She said that the verdicts had been made under a law enacted by the Parliament of Pakistan and in line with the judgment of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Mumtaz Zahra Baloch stressed that the country’s legal system had remedies of judicial review by the superior courts and guaranteed the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms.

The statement added that Pakistan believed in constructive and productive dialogue to promote principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law.

“We remain fully committed to implementing our commitments under the GSP Plus Scheme and core international human rights conventions,” she said.

“We will continue to engage with our international partners including the European Union to uphold the international human rights law, without any discrimination and double standards”, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch underscored.

Read More: UK reacts to military courts sentences against May 9 rioters

Earlier, the May 9 riot suspects were awarded up to 10 years imprisonment by the military courts in Pakistan.

The United States (US) expressed its concerns over the convictions of civilians in Pakistani military courts, calling for fair trials and respect for human rights.

US State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller in his post on X (formerly Twitter) said, “The United States is concerned by the sentencing of Pakistani civilians in a military tribunal and calls upon Pakistani authorities to respect the right to a fair trial and due process.”

EU also described the sentencing of Pakistani civilians by a military tribunal as being inconsistent with the obligations under the EU’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).