Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the treatment of (1) Hindus, (2) Christians, and (3) other non-Muslim minorities, by the government of Pakistan; and whether they will make representations to that government concerning the enforcement of the law of blasphemy against those minorities.

Protecting minority communities continues to be central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. I [Lord Ahmad] discussed the need to safeguard the rights of religious minorities and raised the proposed amendments to the blasphemy laws during my meeting with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 30 January. I also discussed blasphemy laws and the importance of promoting respect for all religions during my meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on 14 December 2022.