THE European countries always try to portray as the flag-bearer of human rights but over the years their approach has visibly been discriminatory and selective.
The fact of the matter is that they use the issue of human rights to dictate their terms to a particular country.
In an interview, EU Parliament Vice President Heidi Hautala said that with the adoption of two resolutions to reconsider Pakistan’s duty free market access, the European Parliament has signalled that the facility is linked with rapid implementation of international commitments on human rights.
Pakistan has always valued its relations with the European Union which is the country’s second most important trading partner, accounting for about fifteen percent of Pakistan’s total trade last year and absorbing twenty-eight percent of total exports.
Posing question mark on Pakistan’s human rights is beyond one’s comprehension as the situation may not be ideal but far better in Pakistan when compared with what is happening with minorities in neighbouring India. Whilst the EU is dictating Pakistan to improve human rights but it has completely turned its back and rather closed eyes on the gross human rights violations within India.
The so-called champions of human rights are rather developing economic strategic partnership and holding talks for Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with what could be called the biggest terrorist and extremist of the world.
If the EU really believes in human rights, it will have to do away with duplicity in character and equally gauge all the countries.
It is also for our Foreign Office to enhance the level of engagement with the EU countries in order to brief them about the steps taken by the Pakistani government for the protection of women and children rights as well as minorities.
The very statement of Heidi Hautala that ‘Islamophobia in Europe is an exaggeration’ is also shocking and surprising as she appears to be in a state of denial which is really dangerous and will give further rise to hate crimes against Muslims in their societies.
What else will be Islamophobia when mosques are being shut and Muslim women have been banned from wearing Hijab in certain parts of Europe? There are also several reports indicating rise of attacks against Muslims in European countries.
It will be better for the European leadership to accept the reality and do the needful to put a stop to such incidents for peace and stability in the world at large.
