LAHORE, Nov 26: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar says the major hurdle in grant of GSP Plus to Pakistan has been cleared and it will be formally granted during the European Union Parliament session starting on Dec 11.

“I will celebrate the grant of GSP Plus status to Pakistan on Dec 14 with the All-Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) members,” said the governor while speaking as chief guest at the First Media Award 2013 ceremony, arranged by the Lake City Holdings and the Lahore Press Club on Tuesday.

Narrating the hard lobbying he had to make with members of the European Union, the governor said there were some elements that wanted to consider the case of nine aspirants for GSP Plus collectively and discuss Pakistan’s membership (in GSP Plus) separately.

Mr Sarwar said he succeeded in convincing a former member of the British parliament, who had some influence over other members, that discriminating Pakistan was not fair.

“I told them that we in Pakistan have more independent media than in Europe. Our print and electronic media expose every unfair practice immediately, forcing the authorities to bring transparency. The judiciary is more strong and independent in Pakistan than anywhere else in the world,” he said.

The governor said every aspirant for the GSP Plus status had to sign 27 conventions relating to human rights, child labour, fair trade practices etc. “I told them it is not possible in Pakistan to violate any of these conventions as the media is sitting as watchdog for transparency and fair practices. The judiciary takes notice of even minor violations of human rights or a lack of adherence to the rules in award of contract.”

He said Pakistan had been fighting battle against poverty and needed market access to address this issue. Education and health had been two main issues that needed serious attention. Availability of pure drinking water had also been a major problem even in major cities, he said while appealing to the industrialists to install these plants in all localities of Punjab to ensure that its citizen could have pure and healthy water.

Mr Sarwar assured the textile millers that the government would not waste this opportunity by denying availability of vital inputs to the industry. “We have acute power and gas shortages but will manage the problem through prudent management,” he said. He said both prime minister and Punjab chief minister were working hard to find solution to the energy problem.