BRUSSELS, April 21: Pakistan's chances of securing European Parliamentary go-ahead for a new trade and cooperation agreement with the European Union received a significant boost on Wednesday after the current Irish EU presidency and the European Commission threw their collective weight behind the pact.

Support from several key European parliamentarians, including leaders of the conservative European People's Party and the Socialist group, also means that the accord will probably be endorsed by the assembly when voting takes place on Thursday.

Thursday's vote follows a heated debate on Pakistan at the EU assembly, with deputies divided over merits of clinching a new deal with Islamabad, but many warning that it would be unwise to penalize a key member of the global war against terror.

Warning the parliament against submitting to "unipolar" pressure from the United States and acting as "puppets" of the Commission and EU governments, John Cushnahan insisted that Euro MPs must vote against ratification of the deal.

Mr Cushnahan, warned that human rights situation in the country was deteriorating. Echoing similar concerns, the leader of the Parliament's Green group, Per Gahrton, was equally insistent that the EU must not sacrifice its human rights standards because of political imperatives.

But other deputies insisted that application of the human rights standards must be universal, with EU governments being as tough with Israel, Russia and China as they were with Pakistan. "Otherwise we can be accused of double standards," said one parliamentarian.

"We are not faced with a black and white issue," said Socialist deputy Johannes Swoboda, arguing that Pakistan was moving in the right direction on human rights issues. Those in favour of parliamentary backing for the agreement agreed that Islamabad still had hard work ahead to upgrade its democratic and human rights credentials.

But like Swoboda, many insisted that the EU must avoid a "clash of civilizations" with a key Islamic nation which was playing a positive role in encouraging cooperation and dialogue with the West. Increasingly warm Pakistan-India relations were also highlighted by Euro MPs as another argument in favour of parliamentary approval of the pact.

Crucially for Pakistan, both the current Irish EU presidency and European External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten have come out strongly in favour of stronger engagement with Pakistan. Irish Minister for European affairs Dick Roche said conclusion of the new agreement would help the EU to "raise issues where we want change."

"It is time for the Parliament to vote in favour of an agreement with a country which is of considerable importance, not least for our own strategic interests," added Mr Patten.