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Pakistan: Religious Freedom

Question for Foreign and Commonwealth Office

UIN HL15872, tabled on 21 May 2019

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by Members of the European Parliament Religious Minorities in Pakistan, published on 13 May, which states that the situation of Pakistan’s minorities is worsening; and whether they intend to raise the contents of that report with the government of Pakistan.

Answered on

4 June 2019

We are aware of the report on Religious Minorities in Pakistan which was published on 13 May by Members of the European Parliament.

The British Government regularly raises its concerns about discrimination against minority communities with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, during my visit to Islamabad in February.

At the UN Periodic Review of Pakistan's human rights record in November 2017, the UK called on Pakistan to strengthen protection of minorities and establish an independent National Commission for Minorities. The Government will continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious minorities, and to uphold the rule of law.

Answered by

Foreign and Commonwealth Office