Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan following the Legatum Institute identifying eight journalists as being murdered in Pakistan between October 2018 and October 2019.

We are deeply concerned by the reported murders of journalists in Pakistan. The UK is committed to the protection of journalists and promotion of media freedom. We regularly raise our concerns about the human rights situation, including on the freedom of expression, with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level and continue to monitor the situation actively. Pakistan's Foreign Minister Qureshi attended the UK's Global Media Freedom Conference in London in July 2019.

In support of our commitment to media freedom and the protection of journalists, the UK and other partners funded the Asma Jehangir Conference held in Lahore in October 2019. This was a two day conference, which provided space for civic discourse and included sessions on media freedom.