27 June 2025
Pakistan has enjoyed trade benefits under the EU’s GSP+ scheme for years, but a new report exposes systematic human rights violations. The World Sindhi Congress (WSC) is urging the European Union to review these privileges. From forced conversions to environmental devastation in Sindh: the allegations are grave. What is at stake?
Religious minorities under pressure
In Pakistan, minorities make up just 3.5% of the total population but account for nearly half of all victims in blasphemy cases. Between 1987 and 2016, 1,472 people were charged, and as of December 2023, 552 people remained imprisoned in Punjab alone. Ahmadis, Christians, and Hindus are disproportionately affected: 277 Ahmadis have been murdered since 1984, and in 2024, 112 attacks on Hindus were reported. Churches and graves are desecrated—26 churches were burned in 2023, and 250 Ahmadi graves have already been vandalized this year. The World Sindhi Congress points to a culture of impunity: perpetrators of large-scale attacks, like the 2023 church burnings in Jaranwala, go unpunished.
Forced conversions of girls
Approximately 1,000 Hindu and Christian girls are abducted and forcibly converted each year, often followed by marriages to older men. In 2024, Sindh recorded 850 cases and Punjab 250. Many victims are minors. Police and lower courts frequently accept fraudulent “consent affidavits,” and no perpetrator has been convicted to date. The case of seven-year-old Priya Kumari, still missing, highlights the failing justice system.
Environmental damage and land grabbing in Sindh
The World Sindhi Congress also spotlights Sindh, where environmental destruction and land grabs go hand in hand. Six mega-canals approved under the Green Pakistan Initiative divert water from the Indus River, violating the 1991 Water Accord. This causes crop losses, salinization, and drinking water shortages—the Indus Delta has already shrunk by 92%. Meanwhile, illegal granite mining in the Karoonjhar Mountains threatens biodiversity and sacred sites. Military projects, like the seizure of 5,000–6,000 hectares of coastal land in Karachi, risk displacing 45 fishing villages. Over 52,000 hectares have already been transferred to military-controlled corporations.
Enforced disappearances and murders
Since 2019, at least 500 Sindhi activists have been abducted, 55 of whom remain missing. Hidayat Lohar, a prominent activist, was murdered after a prior disappearance. Journalists and protesters are silenced—Nasrullah Gadani, a journalist, was killed after reporting on illegal hunting, and Dr. Shahnawaz Kumbhar died in police custody following a false blasphemy accusation. Peaceful protests, such as those by Voice for Missing Persons of Sindh, are met with arrests.
What does the World Sindhi Congress demand?
The World Sindhi Congress calls for decisive action. They urge the EU to suspend Pakistan’s GSP+ status until the country demonstrably complies with 27 international conventions, including those on human rights and the environment. Additionally, they advocate for an EU fact-finding mission to Sindh and hearings in the European Parliament. If abuses persist, they suggest referral to international tribunals.
Why this concerns the EU
Pakistan enjoys tax-free access to EU markets through GSP+, but these benefits are conditional. According to the WSC, Pakistan violates treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Convention on Biological Diversity. The EU Parliament, UN rapporteurs, and the UK government have previously raised concerns about Pakistan’s human rights record. If the EU remains silent, it risks losing credibility.
Andy Vermaut +32499357495*