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 potential implications for his policies of reports of transnational repression of the families of British protestors of Pakistani origin; and if he will have discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on that issue.

The UK Government continually assesses potential threats and takes the protection of individuals' rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously, including in relation to Pakistan. Any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK will not be tolerated. During my visit to Pakistan, I raised the importance of upholding civil and political rights with senior Ministers, including the Minister for Human Rights and the Interior Minister. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to respect these fundamental freedoms, underlining that any human rights violations should be fully investigated in line with international human rights law.