ISLAMABAD   -  Former interior minister and Chairman Institute of Research and Reforms Rehman Malik has urged President European Parliament to withdraw resolution against Pakistan and bring a resolution of economic sanctions against India also for misusing EU soil for malicious, fake, and fabricated propaganda against Pakistan. 

In a letter to President European Parliament David Maria Sassoli, he said the people of Pakistan were highly disturbed and shocked by the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on 29 April 2021 calling for a review of trade relations with Pakistan and ending its eligibility for the Generalised Scheme of Preferences status. 

Making the letter public at a press conference, Malik said that interviews and public research conducted by Institute of Research and Reforms (IRR) showed that the people of Pakistan had taken the EU Parliament resolution as interference in the sovereignty of Pakistan.  

He said that they considered it highly discriminatory, interference in Pakistan’s internal affairs, and against international interfaith harmony. 

He said the people of Pakistan had great respect for all religions including Christianity and there was no religious discrimination in Pakistan as people of all faiths had the freedom in teaching, practicing, worshiping and celebrating their faiths and festivals without any fear. 

Rehman Malik in his letter said that making legislation and its implementation was the sole sovereign right of any sovereign country and all Pakistani laws were made to satisfy its own national social justice system. 

He said the people of all faiths living in Pakistan and their rights were well protected in the Constitution of Pakistan. 

“I would like to express that the European Union (EU) Parliament should have afforded a hearing to representatives from Pakistan or had at least heard the Pakistan ambassador in Belgium prior to bringing this resolution before Parliament,” his letter reads. 

In his letter, Senator Malik writes that the people of Pakistan are concerned as to where was the EU Parliament when EU DisinfoLab based in EU had uncovered Indian propaganda of the highest intensity against Pakistan adding it is no more a secret that India has been using the soil of the EU against a sovereign state of Pakistan unchecked by EU which is against international laws. 

He urged the President EU Parliament that the people of Pakistan expected a resolution from EU Parliament against India condemning the misuse of its soil for malicious propaganda against Pakistan and appealed EU to impose economic sanctions on India for this illegal act of breaching EU trust and for compromising the position of EU by using its soil to damage the interest of a fellow sovereign state. 

In his letter, Rehman Malik has appealed to the European Parliament President to withdraw the resolution against Pakistan passed on April 29, 2021 which was highly discriminatory.   

He also appealed to bring a resolution of economic sanctions against India for misusing EU soil for malicious, fake, and fabricated propaganda against Pakistan and this action was owed by EU in the natural justice and to stop such repetition by India.