ISLAMABAD: In a bid to promote human rights awareness in the country, the Ministry of Commerce will set up a GSP Plus Support Mechanism Unit (SMU), which will partner with the private sector and non-governmental organisations.
This was decided in a meeting of the Treaty Implementation Cell, which also announced to train Commerce Ministry officials to better understand provincial laws, human rights, minorities, women rights and other relevant fields to compile achievements made at the legislative front.
The meeting was chaired by Minister of Commerce Khurram Dastgir Khan, while Adviser to Prime Minister on Law Ashtar Ausaf Ali, representatives of the Ministry of Law, Anti-Narcotics Force, FIA and Provincial Law Departments participated in the meeting.
Last year, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif established a Treaty Implementation Cell, headed by Ashtar Ausaf Ali, to oversee the implementation of UN Conventions on human rights in all the constituent units of Pakistan.
It is pertinent to mention that the Ministry of Commerce has been in close coordination with the EU as well as with its 28 member countries individually in order to get their support to enhance Pakistan’s exports to the EU countries. Before the GSP Plus review, which is scheduled next year, the Ministry will initiate lobbying diplomacy wherein the Minister and the Secretary will hold meetings with the Members of European Parliament and European Commission to portray the benefits of the GSP Plus for Pakistan.
