Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what steps she is taking to help tackle bias in schools in Pakistan among children from all faith groups which has led in some cases to false blasphemy accusations.

The majority of DFID’s investment in education in Pakistan is undertaken in partnership with the provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. These investments have supported nearly 10 million children of all faiths in primary and nearly 6 million in secondary schools. In Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa DFID is also supporting provincial governments to train teachers, revise textbooks and curricula to improve content that promotes positive attitudes towards religious and other minorities.