Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his counterpart in Pakistan on holding to account the people responsible for violence in Jaranwala.

The UK strongly condemns the recent violence against the Christian community in Jaranwala, Punjab. We continue to monitor the human rights situation in Pakistan closely and regularly raise the issue at a senior level with the Government of Pakistan. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, Minister for South Asia, spoke with the Minister for Human Rights, Mian Riaz Hussain Pirzada on 27 June to emphasise the importance of peaceful democratic processes, human rights and adherence to the rule of law. On 16 August, Lord Ahmad wrote to Pakistan's caretaker Foreign Minister Jalil Abbas Jilani, urging the government to ensure the safety of Pakistan's Christian community at this worrying time. He has publicly called for those responsible to be brought to justice. Lord Ahmad also met with the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Pakistani Minorities on 5 September and condemned the attacks in Jaranwala.