Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent assessment she has made of the extent of human rights abuses in the Balochistan province of Pakistan; and if she will make a statement.

The UK is concerned about reports of human rights abuses and violations in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. We follow the human rights situation in Pakistan closely. We regularly raise our concerns about human rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During a visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the FCDO Minister responsible for human rights, raised our concerns with Pakistan's Prime Minister, Imran Khan, as well as other senior government ministers including Foreign Minister Qureshi and Human Rights Minister Mazari. Lord Ahmad also met minority communities during the visit to understand better their concerns and the challenges they face.