Written questions, answers and statements

Pakistan: Religious Freedom

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Question for Foreign and Commonwealth Office

UIN 131738, tabled on 8 March 2018

Question

Mr Steve Reed
Labour
Croydon North
Commons

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the effect of blasphemy laws on religious minorities in Pakistan.

Answer

Mark Field
Conservative
Cities of London and Westminster
Commons

Answered on

13 March 2018

​We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the treatment of minority religious communities in Pakistan. The blasphemy laws are used against people of all faiths although minority communities are disproportionately affected. This is particularly concerning given the harsh penalties for blasphemy, including the death penalty.

We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities and misuse of the blasphemy laws with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level, most recently during my visit to Pakistan in November 2017

Answered by

Foreign and Commonwealth Office
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