PTI asking EU to revoke Pakistan’s GSP Plus status: Tarar

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar claimed on Wednesday that the PTI was asking the European Union (EU) to revoke Pakistan’s GSP Plus status.

Addressing a news conference here, the minister alleged that some political elements wanted to harm the national economy for their vested interests and that they tried to sabotage the IMF agreement and attempted to bankrupt the country but their plans flopped due to Shehbaz Sharif’s actions.

The PTI founder, he continued, was attempting to make the country default, and was giving instructions from jail. The minister alleged the PTI was running a campaign to end Pakistan’s GSP Plus status through an online petition that is asking the EU to revoke Pakistan’s GSP Plus status due to Imran Khan not being given facilities in prison.

Tarar warned that “The PTI conspirators are trying to attack the country’s economy. Their spokespersons are getting instructions from jail to harm the country but they will not be allowed to harm the economy.” He added: “Protecting the national interests is our foremost responsibility, but a political party does not see the national interest nor does it care about the revival of the economy”.

Detailing his claim, Atta Tarar said that the PTI wrote a letter to the IMF and hatched a conspiracy, whereas the prime minister was working day and night to improve the economy. He also said that Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb was capable of managing the country’s economy.

However, in a strongly-worded reaction, a PTI spokesman dismissed Tarar’s allegations as a ‘pack of lies’. “Those who have forcibly occupied the country by stealing the mandate of people are teaching patriotism to others. The PTI has not written any letter to the European Union nor has any such intention to do so”, he emphasised.

The PTI, he claimed, is the single largest and most popular party in Pakistan, which represents all units of the federation and the efforts of the party and its founder-chairman Imran Khan for the success of the IMF programme are there for all to see. He said the incompetence the PMLN’s Ishaq Darhad led to a delay in the completion of the IMF programme, which has been testified to also by PMLN ministers. The second instalment of the loan, he claimed, was released by the IMF after Imran Khan’s approval.

Despite the PTI issuing this clarification regarding the petition tweeted out on March 12 by Twitter/X handle @OPVoters, several PTI-affiliated social media accounts and some PTI members too have supported the call to “seek the EU delegation’s immediate intervention” regarding Imran Khan’s prison conditions, linking it to Pakistan’s GSP Plus obligations. For example, on March 12 PTI leader Atif Khan had quote-tweeted the petition by writing: “I request all Pakistanis anywhere in the world to spare one minute of your time to support this Global Call to Action.”

During the press talk on Wednesday, the information minister also said that Imran Khan was being allowed to meet people four days a week, whereas a prisoner is allowed to meet once a week only per the prisons manual. He said Imran had been holding one meeting with his lawyers, one meeting with friends, another with political colleagues, and one meeting with his family members every week.

Tarar said the PTI founder had been provided luxurious facilities in jail. “You should approach the courts for more facilities beyond the jail manual, as the facilities you are getting in jail are not available to other prisoners,” he added. The minister said the PTI founder had been given a kitchen, an additional room, and a gallery to walk in. Further, he said, the PTI leader held several hundred meetings in prison, and he was also given exercise equipment in jail, which was not available to every inmate.

About security measures for jails, he explained that a letter had been issued by the Punjab government, fearing vandalism inside some jails. It was the Punjab government’s responsibility to conduct a security audit. The minister said the security audit of Dera Ghazi Khan, Mianwali and Adiala jails was being carried out. The minister contended that it was the responsibility of jail authorities and relevant government departments to ensure the security of all prisoners, including Imran Khan. The Adiala Jail is an attached department of the Punjab Home Department and all rules and regulations are listed in the jail manual.