Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case of Pervais Masih, accused of blasphemy in Pakistan, the treatment of his family and the death of his daughter; and whether they have discussed this case with the government of Pakistan.

We are concerned by the distressing reports surrounding the case of Pervaiz Masih, accused of blasphemy in Pakistan and the treatment of his family and death of his daughter.

We remain deeply concerned by the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the treatment of minority religious communities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about the misuse of the blasphemy laws and the protection of minority communities with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. I raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority religious communities with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister in September 2018. At the UN Universal Periodic Review of Pakistan in November 2017, the UK pressed Pakistan to strengthen the protection of minorities and to explain the steps being taken to tackle the abuse of the blasphemy laws.

To ensure the United Kingdom is supporting Christians in the best possible way, the Foreign Secretary has commissioned an independent, global review into the additional practical steps the government can take to support persecuted Christians. The Review will be led by the Bishop of Truro, Rt Revd. Philip Mounstephen, and will make an initial report around Easter.