Question to the Department for International Development:

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, whether any Government aid is provided to the government of Pakistan in connection with strengthening its powers under Article 25(1) of that country's constitution.

UK government aid is not provided directly to the government of Pakistan to strengthen its powers under Article 25(1) of their constitution. However, a number of UK aid programmes support progress on equality under the law in Pakistan. For example the Consolidating Democracy Programme works with parliamentarians and political parties on issue-based politics, including the equality of all citizens under the law. The Rule of Law Programme focuses on access to justice for all. DFID’s AAWAZ (aawaz means “voice” in Urdu) Voice and Accountability Programme supports civil society organisations to work with the Government of Punjab on the Protection of Women Against Violence Bill (2015), to ensure that perpetrators of violence are brought to justice.