GSP-Plus

Pakistan’s power elite, particularly within security structures, maintain confidence in the country’s geopolitical location and critical mineral resources in Balochistan despite poor sociological and political indicators. The European Commission’s GSP-Plus report highlights compliance issues with human rights, labor, and governance, which the elite dismiss as Western tools to subvert Pakistan’s autonomy, preferring authoritarian models from China and Gulf monarchies.

The European Union has emphasized that Pakistan must reapply for GSP-Plus benefits by 2028 under new trade rules, requiring reforms in labor, human rights, and environmental policies to retain preferential market access. Pakistan’s textile sector, a major beneficiary, faces significant economic risks if the GSP-Plus is lost, as it supports millions of livelihoods.