Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Deputy Foreign Secretary, whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on religious minorities being subjected to bonded labour in that country.

The UK is committed to eradicating all forms of modern slavery, forced labour and human trafficking anywhere in the world. Lord [Tariq] Ahmad, Minister for South Asia, raised his concerns about the persecution of religious minorities in Pakistan and the need for legal action to protect minority faith communities with Human Rights and Law Minister Azam Tarar on 15 April. The UK's Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme and Asia Regional Child Labour Programme are working with partners, including the Government of Pakistan, to reduce child and bonded labour. We will continue to raise the issues affecting religious minorities in Pakistan at the highest levels of Government.