Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Government of Pakistan on the recent case of a sewage cleaner who was a Christian, who died after becoming unconscious at work, and whose medical treatment was allegedly delayed as a result of the religious beliefs of doctors during Ramadan.

We are concerned about continuing reports of abuses against Christians (and other religious minorities) in Pakistan. The British Government strongly condemns the targeting of innocent people based on their religion or beliefs.

We regularly raise our concerns about the protection of minority communities, including religious minorities, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. The Foreign Secretary discussed the importance we attach to safeguarding the rights of all Pakistan's citizens during his visit to Pakistan in November 2016.

In January 2017, my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Reading West (Mr Sharma), raised the protection of religious minorities with Kamran Michael, Pakistani Minister for Human Rights, and Barrister Zafarullah Khan, the Pakistani Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Human Rights.

We continue to urge Pakistan to honour in practice its human rights obligations, including those related to religious freedom, and to uphold the rule of law.