Pakistan should clinch GSP++ status: FPCCI

KARACHI: Pakistan should be treated at par with other regional countries and countries with similar economic conditions and challenges, an official said.

During a consultative session with EU Ambassador to Pakistan Androulla Kaminara, Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) president Mian Nasser Hyatt Maggo said that the European Commission should measure Pakistan with the same yardstick on working conditions, minimum wage and labour inspections.

Mohammad Younus Dagha, chairman of the Policy Advisory Board of the FPCCI, said that the GSP Plus has, in fact, benefited both sides; as both exports and imports with the EU have posted a 7 per cent average yearly growth.

He also proposed the formation of a permanent working group between the EU and the business community of Pakistan for awareness, monitoring and consultancy on performance parameters pertaining to GSP Plus for its uninterrupted and smooth continuation. There should be regular consultations and seminars under the proposed working group, he added.

Ather Sultan Chawla, vice president of the FPCCI, said that GSP Plus has created huge employment opportunities, prompted private-sector investments and ensured sustainability of industrial units run by the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), the engine of growth.

Hanif Lakhany, vice president of the FPCCI, said that the Pakistani textile industry has performed exceedingly well and has created a niche for itself in the markets of the European Union countries on the back of world-class quality products.

Kaminara said that Pakistan’s progress on GSP Plus-related 27 conventions is in the grey area, according to the latest report of the European Commission.

The areas of concerns are primarily in the human rights-related issues; which include freedom of press, child labour, minimum wage, working conditions, women rights and treatment of minorities and other vulnerable groups.

She said there are positives and negatives pertaining to Pakistan’s overall GSP Plus record; however, Pakistan needs to improve on its human rights’ state of affairs.

Kaminara apprised the august gathering of the representative and leading businessmen of the metropolis that the EU is moving towards an expanded and enhanced GSP programme, which may be called GSP ++ or GSP+ v2.0.

The FPCCI chief said Pakistan deserves to be made a beneficiary of GSP Plus v2.0; and that he will persuade the government from the platform of the FPCCI to enact the required legislation(s). Nonetheless, the government must also facilitate the business and industry to enable them to enhance Pakistan’s exports to the EU and earn the precious foreign exchange for the country, he added.

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