By Shabbir Hussain
ISLAMABAD, September 13, 2024-Ambassador Frans van Daele, the European Union’s Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) outside the EU, has wrapped up a week-long visit to Pakistan.
The visit, a part of the EU’s strategic engagement with Pakistan, focused on discussing and promoting respect for diverse religions and beliefs within the country.
During his visit, Ambassador van Daele met with a range of Pakistani officials, including Chairman Senate Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, and Minister for Law and Justice, Human Rights and Parliamentary Affairs. Discussions centered on the challenges of freedom of religion or belief in Pakistan and addressed concerns raised in the November 2023 GSP+ monitoring report.
The Special Envoy emphasized the importance of implementing international conventions to support Pakistan’s reapplication for the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) once the new GSP regulation is in force. He also underscored the EU’s ongoing support for and interest in strengthening cooperation with Pakistan.
Van Daele began his visit in Punjab, engaging with local communities in Jaranwala and Rabwah, and met with key figures such as Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora, Minister for Minorities Affairs in Punjab, and Dr. Usman Anwar, Inspector General of Police Punjab. He expressed gratitude to Pakistan’s newly appointed Foreign Secretary, Ms. Amna Baloch, for facilitating his visit.
The Special Envoy’s role includes raising awareness and engaging with various stakeholders, including state and non-state actors, civil society, and religious organizations, to prevent and address violations of freedom of religion and belief.
