Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he has had with his Pakistani counterpart on (a) the proscription of the Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee and (b) reports of violence against protesters in Pakistan-administered Kashmir; and what assessment he has made of the situation in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.

I remain concerned by developments in Pakistan-administered Kashmir including reports of loss of life and detentions during recent protests and restrictions on communications. We continue to monitor the situation closely. I discussed the situation in the region with the Government of Pakistan during my visit to Islamabad on 6 October, including with Law, Justice and Human Rights Minister Tarar. We encourage all states to uphold their obligations on human rights, including the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and efforts to promote dialogue.