Asked by: Jessica Morden (Labour - Newport East)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had recent discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on (a) blasphemy and (b) anti-Ahmadi legislation in that country.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Protecting minority communities continues to be central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. The Minister of State for South Asia, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, discussed the need to safeguard the rights of religious minorities and raised proposed amendments to the blasphemy laws during his meeting with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 30 January. Lord Ahmad also discussed blasphemy laws and the importance of promoting respect for all religions during his meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on 14 December 2022.
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Leeds (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the prevalence of forced marriages and conversions of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan regarding this practice.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Protecting women's rights is central to the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. I [Lord Ahmad] raised forced conversions in my meeting with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, on 14 October 2022. I also conducted a roundtable discussion in Pakistan with human rights stakeholders on 15 October, discussing gender-based violence. In December 2022, the UK announced sanctions against Mian Abdul Haq, a Pakistani cleric who is responsible for the forced religious conversions and forced marriages of non-Muslims and minors.
Asked by: Matthew Offord (Conservative - Hendon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether he has had discussions with his Pakistani counterpart on steps being taken to help ensure that the Criminal Laws (Amendment) Bill introduced on 17 January 2023 in Pakistan will not be used to target minority Muslims and non-Muslims.
Answered by Leo Docherty - Minister of State (Ministry of Defence) (Minister for the Armed Forces)
Protecting minority communities is a key part of the UK Government's human rights engagement in Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, discussed the need to safeguard the rights of religious minorities during his meeting with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada, and raised proposed amendments to the blasphemy laws. Lord Ahmad also discussed the importance of promoting respect for all religions during his meeting with Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on 14 December 2022
Asked by: Lord Bishop of Guildford (Bishops - Bishops)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the report by the National Commission for Human Rights Pakistan Unequal citizens: ending systematic discrimination against minorities, published on 23 May; and what plans they have to use UK Aid to increase employment among young Christians in Pakistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The National Commission on Human Rights' report highlights the challenges faced by Pakistani minorities in accessing government roles and the poor conditions they often face as low-paid sanitation workers. The UK regularly raises concerns regarding the protection of minorities at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Our programme funding seeks to address the underlying causes. The Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development, a UK Government-funded multi-country programme, has implemented a project in Pakistan to protect minorities who work as sewage and sanitation workers. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, particularly the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the report Unequal Citizens - Ending Systematic Discrimination Against Minorities, published by the National Commission on Human Rights in May 2022; and what steps they are taking to prevent the practices analysed in the publication.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The National Commission on Human Rights' report highlights the challenges faced by Pakistani minorities in accessing government roles and the poor conditions they often face as low-paid sanitation workers. The UK regularly raises concerns regarding the protection of minorities at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Our programme funding seeks to reinforce these messages and to address the underlying causes. The Coalition for Religious Equality and Inclusive Development (CREID), a UK Government-funded multi-country programme, has implemented a project in Pakistan to protect minorities who work as sewage and sanitation workers. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people, particularly the most vulnerable.
Asked by: Andrew Lewer (Conservative - Northampton South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the implications for her policies of the case of Pooja Kumari, an 18 year old Hindu girl in Pakistan, who was allegedly killed for refusing to convert to Islam and resisting attempted abduction and forced marriage to Wahid Bux Lashari.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK strongly condemns forced marriage and the forced conversion of women and girls. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and women and girls' rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June 2021, Lord Ahmad met the then Prime Minister, as well as other senior government ministers, and discussed our concerns. He met interfaith leaders to understand the situation of Pakistani minorities, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage. Most recently, he discussed the need to promote respect for all religions with the then Governor of Punjab on 28 November 2021. The FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages and gender-based violence. The UK government has supported the Government of Pakistan in setting up eight child courts to provide child-sensitive justice to children who come in contact with the law, including victims of child abuse, trafficking and child marriage.
Asked by: Marie Rimmer (Labour - St Helens South and Whiston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment she has made of the (a) case of Maira Shahbaz and (b) potential for safe resettlement for her in the UK.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK condemns forced marriage and the forced conversion of women and girls. We regularly raise the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief and women and girls' rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June 2021, Lord Ahmad met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers, and discussed the issue. He met interfaith leaders in order to better understand the situation of Pakistani minorities, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage. Most recently, he discussed the need to promote respect for all religions with Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on 28 November. The FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages and gender-based violence. The UK government has supported the Government of Pakistan in setting up eight child courts to provide child-sensitive justice to children who come in contact with the law, including victims of child abuse, trafficking and child marriage.
Asked by: Marie Rimmer (Labour - St Helens South and Whiston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, if she will make representations to her counterpart in Pakistan on ending abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of women and girls in that country.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK condemns forced marriage and the forced conversion of women and girls. We regularly raise the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief and women and girls' rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June 2021, Lord Ahmad met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers, and discussed the issue. He met interfaith leaders in order to better understand the situation of Pakistani minorities, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage. Most recently, he discussed the need to promote respect for all religions with Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on 28 November. The FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages and gender-based violence. The UK government has supported the Government of Pakistan in setting up eight child courts to provide child-sensitive justice to children who come in contact with the law, including victims of child abuse, trafficking and child marriage.
Asked by: Marie Rimmer (Labour - St Helens South and Whiston)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help end abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of women and girls in Pakistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK condemns forced marriage and the forced conversion of women and girls. We regularly raise the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief and women and girls' rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June 2021, Lord Ahmad met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers, and discussed the issue. He met interfaith leaders in order to better understand the situation of Pakistani minorities, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage. Most recently, he discussed the need to promote respect for all religions with Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on 28 November. The FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages and gender-based violence. The UK government has supported the Government of Pakistan in setting up eight child courts to provide child-sensitive justice to children who come in contact with the law, including victims of child abuse, trafficking and child marriage.
Asked by: Fleur Anderson (Labour - Putney)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps the Government is taking on reports of kidnapping and forced conversions of religious minorities in Pakistan.
Answered by James Cleverly - Home Secretary
The UK strongly condemns forced marriage and the forced conversion of women and girls. In November, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister of State for South Asia, spoke at the launch event for the All Party Parliamentary Group for Pakistani Minorities' report, 'Abductions, Forced Conversions, and Forced Marriages of Religious Minority Women and Girls in Pakistan', important research which puts the spotlight on this brutal practice. His speech underlined the UK's commitment to promoting freedom, choice and education for women and girls in Pakistan, as well as the UK's disappointment that draft legislation that would have criminalised forced conversions stalled in Pakistan's Parliament last year.
We regularly raise the issue of Freedom of Religion or Belief and women and girls' rights at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. During his visit to Pakistan on 23 and 24 June 2021, Lord Ahmad met Prime Minister Khan, as well as other senior government ministers, and discussed these issues. He met interfaith leaders to understand the situation of Pakistani minorities, particularly the issue of forced conversion and marriage. Most recently, he discussed the need to promote respect for all religions with Governor of Punjab Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar on 28 November 2021. The FCDO funds programmes in Pakistan that directly address early and forced marriages and gender-based violence. The UK government has supported the Government of Pakistan in setting up eight child courts to provide child-sensitive justice to children who come in contact with the law, including victims of child abuse, trafficking and child marriage.