On the other hand ,Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Thursday that Pakistan was committed to working closely with the European Union (EU) on mutually beneficial trade enhancement initiatives, especially through the Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) preferential trade scheme.
The EU’s GSP+ offers developing countries preferential access to European markets in return for commitments on sustainable development and good governance.
The two were convicted in Islamabad last week in a case linked to alleged posts and reposts on X that investigators described as “anti-state”. The case was registered in August 2025 by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016, with allegations that the content was aimed at undermining state institutions and aligning with proscribed organisations or individuals.
The convictions were widely condemned by the legal community, politicians and civil society.
Adding to the criticism, EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Anouar El Anouni said in a post on X earlier today that the convictions went against freedom of expression and independence of lawyers.
"These are not only key democratic principles but also part of Pakistan's international human rights commitments."The EU Delegation to Pakistan amplified the statement in a post on X, sharing the spokesperson’s message on the case.
He added that while Pakistan remained engaged with the EU on all issues, "we do make a distinction about our domestic affairs".
The couple were arrested on January 23 near the underpass outside Serena Hotel while travelling to the district courts, and later sent to 14 days’ judicial remand by an anti-terrorism court.
A district and sessions court later sentenced both to a combined 17 years’ rigorous imprisonment each: five years under PECA Section 9 (plus a Rs5m fine), 10 years under Section 10 (plus Rs30m), and two years under Section 26-A (plus Rs1m), with additional jail time in case of non-payment of fines. The judge also acquitted them of the PECA hate-speech charge under Section 11, saying prosecution witnesses did not support that allegation.
During proceedings conducted via video link, Mazari alleged mistreatment in custody and announced a boycott of the hearing. The judgment noted the pair were already in custody in another case and said they would remain in jail to serve their sentences, with credit for time spent in detention under Section 382-B of the Criminal Procedure Code.
PM Shehbaz further reaffirmed Pakistan's commitment to further strengthen cooperation with the EU in all areas of mutual interest, particularly trade, investment, development, security, migration and climate change.
He also highlighted the key role of the GSP+ scheme in boosting Pakistan–EU trade, adding that the government was dedicated to working closely with the EU to promote mutually beneficial trade under the programme.
The prime minister welcomed the outcome of the seventh Pakistan–EU Strategic Dialogue, held in Brussels in November last year under the leadership of Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Senator Ishaq Dar.
During the dialogue in Brussels, both Pakistan and the EU had reaffirmed their commitment to deepening trade and investment ties, including through the GSP+ scheme.
Ambassador Karoblis expressed gratitude for the warm reception since his arrival in Pakistan and said he would continue to play an active role in further strengthening Pakistan–EU relations across all sectors.
He stated that the EU remained committed to enhancing engagement with Pakistan through trade promotion under GSP Plus, as well as broader commercial activities, including the first EU–Pakistan Business Forum scheduled for April.
FM Dar, PM Adviser Dr Syed Tauqir Shah, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Tariq Fatemi and Foreign Secretary Amina Baloch were also present at the meeting.