Pakistan International Committments

In addition to its engagement with UN-based treaties and ILO conventions, Pakistan has taken significant strides in aligning itself with various international commitments that span a wide array of domains. The country is actively involved in the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), a global agenda aimed at addressing pressing challenges including poverty, education, and environmental sustainability. Furthermore, Pakistan’s participation in the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) program underscores its dedication to human rights, labor standards, and environmental protection in trade relations with the European Union. Pakistan’s commitment to environmental conservation extends beyond the UN framework to encompass participation in International Environment Agreements (IEAs), demonstrating its resolve to combat transboundary environmental issues. Moreover, the nation’s involvement in combating human trafficking is reflected in the Trafficking in Persons (TIP) report released annually by the US Department of State, showcasing Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to combat this global challenge.

Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, are a universal call to action to end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all by 2030. Adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015 as a part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the SDGs provide a comprehensive framework that encompasses a wide range of interconnected issues, from poverty eradication to environmental sustainability and social inclusion.

There are a total of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), each addressing a different aspect of global development. The chart provides a quick overview of each SDG’s focus and the purpose of each goal. 

The Government of Pakistan has embraced the SDGs as a guiding principle for policy-making, emphasizing the integration of economic growth, social development, and environmental protection. Pakistan has undertaken efforts to localize the SDGs, tailoring strategies to specific contexts recognizing the diverse needs of its provinces and regions.  To oversee the implementation of the SDGs, Pakistan established the Sustainable Development Goals Unit within its Ministry of Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives. This unit coordinates with federal and provincial governments, international organizations, and civil society to drive progress on the SDGs.

Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+)

The Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) is an important international trade scheme aimed at promoting economic growth and sustainable development in developing countries. This scheme offers eligible countries preferential trade conditions, particularly in the form of reduced or zero tariffs, for a wide range of products exported to the European Union (EU). Pakistan, as an eligible beneficiary of the GSP+ program, has experienced significant benefits and challenges since its inclusion in the scheme in 2014.

Eligibility Criteria for GSP+

The eligibility criteria for the Generalized System of Preferences Plus (GSP+) are designed to ensure that beneficiary countries are committed to upholding certain standards in the areas of human rights, labor rights, environmental protection, and good governance. These criteria are aimed at promoting sustainable development and responsible practices. To be eligible for GSP+, a country must:

1. Ratify and Implement International Conventions

Countries seeking GSP+ status must ratify and effectively implement 27 specified international conventions. These conventions cover a range of issues, including human rights, labor standards, and environmental protection. For instance, conventions related to civil and political rights, labor rights, environmental protection, and anti-corruption measures are included.

2. Submit Periodic Reports

GSP+ beneficiaries are required to submit periodic reports on their implementation of the international conventions. These reports are assessed by the European Commission to ensure that the country is making progress and remains compliant with the eligibility criteria.

3. Demonstrate Commitment to Sustaining Efforts

The beneficiary country must demonstrate a genuine commitment to making continuous progress in the areas covered by the international conventions. This includes enacting legislative reforms, strengthening enforcement mechanisms, and cooperating with international bodies for monitoring and reporting.

Benefits of GSP+ for Pakistan

1. Trade Advantages

Under the GSP+ scheme, Pakistan enjoys duty-free or reduced-duty access to the EU market for a wide range of products. This improves the competitiveness of Pakistani exports and bolsters trade relations with the EU, one of the world’s largest consumer markets.

2. Economic Growth

GSP+ opens up opportunities for Pakistan to expand its exports, leading to increased production and job creation within the country. As industries grow to meet demand from the EU market, economic growth is stimulated, contributing to poverty reduction.

3. Industrial Diversification

With easier access to the EU market, Pakistan has an incentive to diversify its industrial base and enhance the production of value-added goods that meet EU quality standards. This encourages technological advancement and innovation.

4. Investment Attraction

GSP+ can attract foreign direct investment (FDI) as businesses seek to establish a presence in Pakistan to benefit from the preferential access to the EU market.

5. Sustainable Development 

The GSP+ eligibility criteria promote human rights, labor standards, and environmental protection. As Pakistan aligns with these criteria, it contributes to its own sustainable development and the well-being of its citizens.

The Generalized System of Preferences Plus has provided Pakistan with a valuable platform to enhance its trade relations, economic growth, and sustainable development while adhering to international standards. However sustaining GSP+ status benefits involves a proactive and consistent approach to complying with the eligibility criteria. Pakistasn must continuously strive to improve human rights, labor standards, environmental protection, and governance practices. By doing so, they not only benefit from preferential trade conditions but also contribute to their own sustainable development and the well-being of their citizens.

International Environment Agreements (IEAs)

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, also known as the Genocide Convention, is a United Nations treaty that was adopted in 1948 and ratified by Pakistan in 1957. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at preventing and punishing the crime of genocide.

The convention defines genocide as any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group, as such:

• Killing members of the group;
• Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group;
• Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part;
• Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group;
• Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.
• The convention obligates states parties to take effective measures to prevent and punish the crime of genocide, including by enacting domestic legislation to criminalize genocide and by cooperating with other states parties and international organizations in the prevention and punishment of genocide.

International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid (ICSPCA)

The International Convention on the Suppression and Punishment of the Crime of Apartheid is a United Nations treaty that was adopted in 1973 and ratified by Pakistan in 1986. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at preventing and punishing the crime of apartheid, which is a form of institutionalized discrimination and segregation based on race or ethnicity.

The convention defines apartheid as “inhuman acts committed for the purpose of establishing and maintaining domination by one racial group of persons over any other racial group of persons and systematically oppressing them.” Such acts include, but are not limited to, measures such as segregation, the denial of basic human rights, and the systematic suppression of political, economic, and social rights.

The convention obligates states parties to take effective measures to prevent and punish the crime of apartheid, including by enacting domestic legislation to criminalize apartheid and by cooperating with other states parties and international organizations in the prevention and punishment of apartheid.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, also known as CITES, is a global treaty that was adopted in 1973 and ratified by Pakistan in 1976. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at protecting endangered species of animals and plants from overexploitation due to international trade.

CITES regulates international trade in certain species of wild animals and plants through a system of permits and certificates. The treaty lists species that are threatened with extinction and prohibits or restricts their international trade, except in cases where the trade is deemed to be sustainable and not detrimental to the survival of the species in the wild.

The treaty also obligates states parties to take measures to regulate and monitor domestic trade in species listed under CITES and to ensure that such trade does not contribute to the overexploitation of the species.

Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer

The Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer is an international treaty that was adopted in 1987 and ratified by Pakistan in 2005. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at protecting the Earth’s ozone layer from depletion caused by the use of certain man-made chemicals.

The Montreal Protocol requires states parties to phase out the production and consumption of ozone-depleting substances, such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), and halons. The treaty also obligates states parties to take measures to prevent illegal trade in these substances and to promote the development and use of alternative substances and technologies that do not harm the ozone layer.

Basel Convention on the Control of Trans boundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their disposal

The Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal is an international treaty that was adopted in 1989 and ratified by Pakistan in 1994. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of hazardous waste.

The Basel Convention obligates states parties to regulate the transboundary movement of hazardous waste, including its generation, transportation, storage, and disposal. The treaty aims to prevent the dumping of hazardous waste in developing countries, where environmental regulations may be weak or nonexistent, and to promote the environmentally sound management of hazardous waste.

The convention requires states parties to take measures to ensure that hazardous waste is managed in an environmentally sound manner, and to establish a system of prior informed consent for the import and export of hazardous waste. It also obligates states parties to ensure that hazardous waste is disposed of in an environmentally sound manner, including through the use of the best available technologies and the reduction of waste generation at the source.

Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international treaty that was adopted in 1992 and ratified by Pakistan in 1994. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at promoting the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The CBD recognizes the intrinsic value of biodiversity and the importance of its conservation for the continued well-being of human societies and the planet. The convention obligates states parties to take measures to conserve and sustainably use biological diversity, including the protection of ecosystems, species, and genetic diversity.

The convention also obligates states parties to ensure that the benefits arising from the use of genetic resources are shared fairly and equitably, particularly with indigenous and local communities who have traditional knowledge of biodiversity.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is an international treaty that was adopted in 1992 and ratified by Pakistan in 1994. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at addressing the issue of climate change and promoting global cooperation in the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions and adaptation to its impacts.

The UNFCCC recognizes that climate change is a global problem that requires a global solution. The convention obligates states parties to take measures to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system.

Cartagena Protocol on Bio-safety (CBD)

The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety is an international treaty that was adopted in 2000 and ratified by Pakistan in 2009. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at protecting biodiversity and human health from the potential risks posed by the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

The Cartagena Protocol obligates states parties to regulate the import, export, and transit of GMOs, and to ensure that such activities are conducted in a manner that minimizes the risks to biodiversity and human health. The protocol requires states parties to conduct a risk assessment prior to the transboundary movement of GMOs, and to obtain prior informed consent from the importing country before any such movement takes place.

The protocol also obligates states parties to establish a national biosafety framework, which includes measures for the identification, assessment, and management of risks posed by GMOs. The framework should also include mechanisms for public participation and access to information related to GMOs.

Stockholm Convention on persistent Organic Pollutants

The Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) is an international treaty that was adopted in 2001 and ratified by Pakistan in 2008. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the harmful effects of certain chemicals that persist in the environment and bioaccumulate in the food chain.

The Stockholm Convention obligates states parties to take measures to eliminate or restrict the production, use, and release of POPs, which include chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins, and furans. The treaty also obligates states parties to identify and manage stockpiles of POPs and to promote the use of alternative substances and technologies that do not harm human health or the environment.

Kyoto Protocol to be United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty that was adopted in 1997 as an extension of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and ratified by Pakistan in 2005. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at addressing the issue of climate change and promoting global cooperation in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.

The Kyoto Protocol obligates developed countries that have ratified the protocol to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by a specified amount from 1990 levels, and to report on their progress in meeting their targets. The protocol also established a flexible market-based mechanism, known as the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), which allows developed countries to offset their emissions by investing in emission reduction projects in developing countries.

United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs (C61)

The United Nations Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs is an international treaty that was adopted in 1961 and ratified by Pakistan in 1999. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at regulating the production, distribution, and use of narcotic drugs, including opium, morphine, and cocaine.

The Single Convention obligates states parties to control narcotic drugs in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, and to prevent their abuse and diversion for illicit purposes. The treaty requires states parties to establish strict controls on the cultivation, production, and distribution of narcotic drugs, and to limit their use to medical and scientific purposes.

The Single Convention also includes provisions for international cooperation in the control of narcotic drugs, including the exchange of information and the provision of technical assistance to states parties.

United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances

The United Nations Convention on Psychotropic Substances is an international treaty that was adopted in 1971 and ratified by Pakistan in 1977. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at regulating the production, distribution, and use of psychotropic substances, which include drugs such as LSD, MDMA, and amphetamines.

The Convention obligates states parties to control psychotropic substances in accordance with the provisions of the treaty, and to prevent their abuse and diversion for illicit purposes. The treaty requires states parties to establish strict controls on the production, distribution, and use of psychotropic substances, and to limit their use to medical and scientific purposes.

The Convention also includes provisions for international cooperation in the control of psychotropic substances, including the exchange of information and the provision of technical assistance to states parties.

United Nations Convention against illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances

The United Nations Convention against Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances is an international treaty that was adopted in 1988 and ratified by Pakistan in 1991. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at combating the illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.

The Convention obligates states parties to take measures to prevent and combat the illicit cultivation, production, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances, as well as the diversion of precursor chemicals used in their production. The treaty also requires states parties to cooperate with each other in the investigation and prosecution of drug-related crimes, including the extradition of drug traffickers.

The Convention includes provisions for the seizure and confiscation of illicit drugs and proceeds from drug trafficking, as well as for the international cooperation in the control of money laundering and other financial activities related to drug trafficking.

United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC)

The United Nations Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) is an international treaty that was adopted in 2003 and ratified by Pakistan in 2007. It is one of the most important international legal instruments aimed at combating corruption and promoting good governance around the world.

The UNCAC obligates states parties to prevent and combat corruption, including bribery, embezzlement, and abuse of power. The treaty requires states parties to establish effective legal and institutional frameworks for the prevention and prosecution of corruption, and to promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in the public and private sectors.

The UNCAC also includes provisions for international cooperation in the prevention and prosecution of corruption, including the extradition of corrupt officials and the recovery of assets derived from corruption.

Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report and Tier System

The Trafficking in Persons Report is an annual publication issued by the U.S. Department of State as part of the U.S. government’s commitment to combating human trafficking globally. The report serves as both a comprehensive resource on trafficking-related developments and a diplomatic tool to engage with other countries on this critical issue. It assesses governments’ efforts to address human trafficking and provides recommendations for improvement.

Tier System: Ranking Countries’ Efforts

The TIP Report employs a tier system to categorize countries based on their efforts to combat human trafficking. There are three tiers, and countries are placed in each tier based on their level of compliance with the standards set out in the U.S. Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) of 2000. The tiers are as follows:

Tier 1: Countries that fully meet the TVPA’s minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. These countries have demonstrated significant efforts to combat trafficking and are making substantial progress in this regard.

Tier 2: Countries that do not meet the TVPA’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to do so. These countries might be experiencing challenges in various areas but are taking steps to address them.

Tier 3: Countries that neither meet the TVPA’s minimum standards nor are making significant efforts to do so. These countries are not effectively combatting trafficking and may even be complicit in or contributing to trafficking.

Impact and Implications of Tier Placement

The tier placement has implications for U.S. foreign assistance and diplomatic engagement:

Tier 1 and Tier 2: Countries in these tiers are eligible for certain U.S. foreign assistance and cooperation programs that support anti-trafficking efforts. The U.S. recognizes and encourages their commitment to combating trafficking.

Tier 3: Countries in this tier are subject to restrictions on non-humanitarian, non-trade-related foreign assistance, except for funds specifically aimed at counter-trafficking initiatives or certain security-related activities. Countries in Tier 3 might face increased scrutiny and international calls for action to improve their anti-trafficking efforts.

It’s important to note that the TIP Report’s assessment is not just about punitive measures; it also offers recommendations and best practices for countries to enhance their anti-trafficking efforts. The report serves as a platform for dialogue and collaboration between the U.S. and other nations to collectively combat human trafficking

Trafficking in Persons Report 2023: Pakistan