It is not clear whether the decision to accept the accession is a result of a dispassionate review of the Pakistani laws, regulations and processes that are designed to implement the Convention or whether the decision is a political one by the Trump administration.

The mere fact that the treaty is in force does not mean that it will be effective.

Pakistan has been consistently non-compliant with international norms concerning the return of children who are abducted to Pakistan. In prior years, the U.S. State Department reported frequently to Congress that that was the case.

Unless and until Pakistan has established a clear track record of compliance with the treaty, including compliance with the express obligation to return abducted children expeditiously within a target of six weeks from the commencement of judicial proceedings, it is my opinion that great skepticism should be reserved before allowing children to visit Pakistan over the good faith opposition of a potentially left-behind parent.

It is also essential to understand that the Convention contains no provisions that will require recognition and enforcement of foreign custody orders.

I invite a review of my blog article, Expert Witness: Child Relocation To Pakistan