Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of the adequacy of rights for religious minorities in Pakistan.

The UK strongly condemns violence against the Christian community in Pakistan. As the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB), Fiona Bruce has said, the UK stands in solidarity with persecuted Christians in Pakistan, and around the world. Protecting Freedom of Religion or Belief including for minority communities, remains central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. On 16 August, the Minister for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, wrote to Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, urging the government to ensure the safety of Pakistan's Christian community at this worrying time. In a post on X (formerly Twitter) he publicly called for those responsible to be brought to justice and reiterated the UKs commitment to freedom of religion and belief for all. On 6 September, Lord Ahmad raised the attacks against religious minorities in his meeting with the Pakistani High Commissioner.