Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment he has made of the potential effectiveness of using UK aid to Pakistan as leverage with which to engage the Government of Pakistan on its relations with NGOs.

International and national NGOs are important development partners, and the UK is concerned about some of the restrictions they face. DFID and FCO officials regularly press the Government of Pakistan to ensure registration and regulation is implemented appropriately, and allow NGOs to continue their important work. Our aid relationship with the Government of Pakistan is based on assessment against our Partnership Principles and funding is subject to programme performance and progress by government on key policy reforms.