Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they support the UN Paris Principles, adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, relating to the status of national institutions for the promotion and protection of human rights, including the provisions which require such institutions to maintain their independence from the national governments; and if so, what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the National Commission for Human Rights of Pakistan maintaining its independence from the Federal Ministry of Human Rights of Pakistan.

Promoting human rights is a fundamental part of the British Government's diplomatic work, including in Pakistan.

We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to take the steps necessary to comply in full with its human rights obligations. This includes ensuring that the human rights institutional structures and processes necessary to discharge its international commitments are in place in line with international standards.

We maintain a regular dialogue with the National Commission for Human Rights of Pakistan about their concerns. I discussed these concerns with the Chairman of the National Commission during my visit to Pakistan on 18 and 19 February. I also raised human rights issues with the Federal Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, during the same visit.