Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about freedom of religion or belief in view of reports that that government's State Minister for Parliamentary Affairs has voiced support for an anti-Ahmadiyya twitter campaign by calling for Ahmadis to be punished by death.

The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan. We are concerned by language that may incite violence against any religious or ethnic groups.

We continue to urge the Government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of its citizens, regardless of their belief. I raised the UK Government's concerns about the protection of the Ahmadiyya community with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 February and our concerns about the comments made by the Pakistan Minister of State on 5 June. I then raised our concerns again about Freedom of Religion or Belief with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights by letter on 5 June. I also raised the UK Government's concerns about the protection of the Ahmadiyya community, including comments made by the Pakistan Minister of State, with Pakistan's High Commissioner to the UK, His Excellency Nafees Zakaria, on 12 and 27 May. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan met Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights on 8 June and raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan, including the comments made by the Pakistan Minister of State.