EU Special Envoy Frans van Daele’s Visit to Pakistan Raises Concerns Over Missed Key Meetings
Islamabad [Pakistan], September 15: Frans van Daele, the European Union’s Ambassador and Special Envoy for the Promotion of Freedom of Religion or Belief, recently concluded a fact-finding mission in Pakistan. The visit aimed to gather insights on religious freedom in the country ahead of the 2025 GSP+ monitoring mission, which is crucial for Pakistan’s duty-free access to European markets.
During his week-long visit, Ambassador Daele met with several high-ranking officials, including Senate Chairman Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and Foreign Secretary Amna Baloch. However, some key officials missed the meetings, raising concerns among diplomats about the effectiveness of the visit.
A diplomatic source noted, “The meetings that did not happen… confirmed the impression that certain voices — which are some of the key voices on these issues — do not seem ready to engage in the matter.”
Throughout his visit, Ambassador Daele engaged with federal and provincial officials, parliamentarians, religious leaders, NGOs, civil society organizations, human rights advocates, and local communities. The discussions focused on the state of freedom of religion and belief in Pakistan and aimed to foster respect for religious and belief diversity.
Ambassador Daele mentioned that the next GSP+ monitoring mission to Pakistan is expected in 2025.
Doubts Revealed
EU -: EU stands for the European Union, which is a group of 27 countries in Europe that work together on various issues like trade, laws, and human rights.
Special Envoy -: A Special Envoy is a person sent by a government or organization to deal with a specific issue or to represent them in another country.
Frans van Daele -: Frans van Daele is a person who works for the European Union and was sent to Pakistan to check on religious freedom.
Pakistan -: Pakistan is a country in South Asia, next to India, known for its rich history and diverse culture.
Religious freedom -: Religious freedom means that people can practice any religion they want without being punished or treated unfairly.
Senate Chairman -: The Senate Chairman is the leader of the Senate, which is one of the two houses in Pakistan’s parliament, similar to a big meeting where important decisions are made.
Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani -: Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani is a politician in Pakistan who has held important positions, including being the Prime Minister.
National Assembly Speaker -: The National Assembly Speaker is the person who leads the meetings in the National Assembly, the other house in Pakistan’s parliament.
Sardar Ayaz Sadiq -: Sardar Ayaz Sadiq is a politician in Pakistan who has served as the Speaker of the National Assembly.
2025 GSP+ monitoring mission -: The 2025 GSP+ monitoring mission is a check by the European Union to see if Pakistan is following certain rules so it can continue to sell goods to Europe without paying extra taxes.
Duty-free access -: Duty-free access means that Pakistan can sell its products in European markets without having to pay extra taxes, making it cheaper and easier to trade.