ISLAMABAD: The opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) warned on Friday that the country’s preferential trade access to the European Union (EU) could be at risk, accusing the government of failing to meet international human rights obligations required under the GSP+ scheme.
In a statement, the party said the government’s handling of human rights, judicial independence and political freedoms could jeopardise the country’s duty-free access to the EU market under the bloc’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+).
It criticised the foreign ministry’s response to the European Union’s latest GSP+ monitoring report, saying the government should focus on complying with the 27 international conventions underpinning the trade arrangement rather than dismissing concerns.
The GSP+ scheme grants Pakistan preferential, largely duty-free access to the EU market, particularly benefiting the country’s textile sector.
PTI also condemned Thursday’s attack in Mastung, Balochistan, in which a district and sessions judge and his security guard were killed and a additional sessions judge was critically injured.
The attack, it said, reflected a deteriorating security situation in the province.
PTI called for those responsible to be brought to justice, a review of Balochistan’s security strategy and greater political engagement in the province.
Turning to the economy, the party criticised what it said were five consecutive daily increases in fuel prices, saying petrol had risen by a cumulative Rs21 per litre and high-speed diesel by Rs56 over the period.
According to figures cited by the party, the latest increase took petrol prices to Rs331.52 per litre and diesel to Rs378.66 per litre.
PTI urged the government to reduce the petroleum development levy (PDL), reverse the recent price increases and abandon the current daily fuel pricing mechanism, arguing consumers were bearing the full impact of rising global oil prices.
The party also criticised the government’s decision to import one million tonnes of wheat, arguing that domestic production and existing stocks were sufficient to meet demand and that procurement failures, rather than shortages, had created market distortions.
It called for an independent audit of wheat procurement, an end to what PTI described as unnecessary imports and measures to strengthen support for farmers.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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