Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government, further to the remarks by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon on 25 April (HL Deb cols 628GC–630GC), whether they plan to use some of the increased aid to Pakistan to help train the staff of ‘Misaq Centres’ in police stations in areas with a sizeable percentage of minority communities.

We continue to make representations to the Government of Pakistan and use UK programme funding to protect and promote the rights of minorities in Pakistan. Our £46.7 million Aawaz II programme (2015-27) works to improve social cohesion at the grassroots level and provides technical assistance to the government for systemic reforms. For example, the programme works with minority religious communities to connect vulnerable citizens with state services. We will continue to use UK aid to support Pakistan's long-term development, focusing on improving human capital (health, education, gender equality), governance and human rights and climate resilience.