To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with government officials in Pakistan on the persecution of religious and social minorities in that country.
Answered on
14 July 2015
We remain deeply concerned by the persecution of religious and other minorities in Pakistan. The Pakistan Government can be under no doubt as to the importance we place on addressing these issues. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), discussed our concerns at the misuse of the blasphemy laws in Pakistan with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in November 2014, as did the Prime Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) in December. In June I stressed our ongoing concern about minorities in Pakistan with the Pakistan High Commissioner to London.
We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to protect the human rights of all its citizens and our concerns about minorities in Pakistan are documented in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual Human Rights Report.