Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps his Department is taking to help tackle the persecution of Christians in Pakistan.

We urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens. We engage at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan on the mistreatment of religious and ethnic groups, including from the Ahmadiyya, Christian, Hazara and Shia communities. Most recently, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Minister for South Asia, raised our concerns regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 August. Lord Ahmad also raised these concerns with the Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, on 8 September.

The former Foreign Secretary [Jeremy Hunt MP] asked the Bishop of Truro to review what the former FCO could do to better support the plight of Christians globally. The Bishop responded with a report setting out the gravity of the issue, as well as practical recommendations for an enhanced response to the plight of Christians and people persecuted for holding other religions or beliefs. The UK Government has committed to implementing the Bishop's 22 recommendations in full, and work is continuing in the FCDO to implement them in a way that will bring real improvements in the lives of those persecuted because of their faith or belief. More than half of the recommendations have already been implemented, or are in the process of being implemented.