Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what discussions he is having with (a) the Government of Pakistan and (b) other international partners on incidents of Ahmadiyya Muslims being barred from congregational Eid worship; and whether his Department has made an assessment of the potential impact of such incidents on levels of human rights in Pakistan.

Promoting freedom of religion or belief is a core part of the UK's diplomatic engagement overseas. We are concerned by the deteriorating situation for Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan, including reports they were prevented from offering prayers over Ramadan and Eid. I discussed the right of Ahmadi Muslims to practice their faith in a meeting with Pakistan's Minister of State for the Interior, Talal Chaudhry, on 31 March. On 16 April, Lord Khan of Burnley raised Ahmadi rights in a meeting with Pakistan's Minster for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony, Sardar Muhammad Yousaf. The UK Government regularly engages with members of the Ahmadi community, both in Pakistan and the UK, to inform our understanding of the issues they are facing. We will continue to urge the Government of Pakistan to guarantee the rights of all people in accordance with international standards.