The head of a prominent industrial association has fiercely denounced international lobbying efforts aimed at revoking Pakistan’s GSP+ status, labelling such actions an ‘attack on the national economy’ and an anti-state move that puts millions of jobs in peril.
According to Korangi Association of Trade and Industry information today, Muhammad Ikram Rajput, President of the Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), articulated that targeting the nation”s trade advantages is profoundly harmful, particularly as Pakistan’s economy navigates a delicate recovery amidst global geopolitical and economic instability.
He identified the European Union”s GSP+ facility as the ‘backbone’ of the country’s export sector. The status grants vital preferential access to European markets for key industries, most notably the textile sector, which is directly linked to the employment of a vast portion of the workforce.
‘Any attempt to undermine GSP+ is equivalent to an attack on the national economy,’ Rajput stated, emphasising that the trade concession is critical for sustaining export growth, industrial operations, and employment nationwide.
Rajput described the GSP+ status as Pakistan”s ‘economic lifeline,’ cautioning it must not be exploited for personal or political motives. He warned that encouraging foreign entities to implement adverse economic measures against Pakistan demonstrates irresponsibility and a worrying trend of internationalising domestic political disputes at the expense of national credibility.
The KATI president asserted that with millions of jobs tied to the trade scheme, any disruption would unleash severe repercussions for workers, industrialists, and the wider economy. ‘Political differences may exist, but targeting the country’s economic interests is unacceptable,’ he declared.
The business and export community, he stressed, views such campaigns as ‘economic sabotage’ and would “strongly resist” any initiative that threatens Pakistan”s international trade standing.
Urging the government to address the matter with urgency, Rajput called for a robust defence of the nation’s economic interests on all platforms. He cautioned that advocates for sanctions or the withdrawal of trade concessions are actively endangering the future of Pakistan”s industrial base and its workforce.
He concluded by terming such lobbying efforts as crossing a ‘red line,’ affirming that any move to harm Pakistan’s GSP+ status would not be tolerated by the country’s business community.