On Thursday 29th April European Parliament adopted a resolution against Pakistan by not fulfilling the obligations of GSP plus status. Resolution was put forwarded by Renew a liberal political group of EU parliament and was passed with a majority of 681 votes in favor and 6 against. On the issues of discrimination with minorities and extremism against France. The members of E.U parliament vowed strong support to France in their recent diplomatic strain with Pakistan on the issue of blasphemous caricatures published by Charlie Hebdo. E.U said that Pakistan is in the violation of certain conventions of Generalized scheme of preferences plus status and it is necessary now for E.U to review it’s status for further consideration.

The recent move by E.U parliament is to signal Pakistan some sort of concern which was long due, due to the disproportionate response from a right wing banned religious organization T.L.P which demanded to expel the French ambassador and cut off diplomatic ties with France on the issue of blasphemous caricatures published in France but they waited since there was no such official state backed stance taken by Pakistan despite some letters from Pakistani prime Minister Imran khan to French president Emmanuel Macron but since now Pakistani parliament had started a discussion in parliament to expel French ambassador from Pakistan through a parliamentary resolution, although it’s in a process but E.U decided to respond be fittingly to Pakistan in advance, concerning.

If Pakistan expel French ambassador whose tenure is already ended but he is still in Pakistan, France has almost nothing to loose the total volume of our imports from France is around 20 million dollars peanuts! While our whole textile industry exports rely on the GSP plus status provided by E.U other contenders like Bangladesh in the market are willing to bridge that Gap for European market. Than why hit our own feet with axe Ironic! Our demands from E.U to sanction France for the publication of blasphemous caricatures of our Prophet P.B.U.H are as irrational as their demands from Pakistan to repeal the Blasphemy laws and Constitutional discrimination against Ahmedis and other minorities, Human rights and minority concerns! For us it is our religious obligation and foundational principles to uphold the values of Islam, for them it is the definition of free speech and individual liberty.