Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on the release of the Ahmadi prisoners of conscience (a) Ghulam Ahmad, (b) Ihsan Ahmad and (c) Mubashir Ahmad detained in that country.

We are aware of the cases of Ghulam Ahmad, Ihsan Ahmad and Mubashir Ahmad. We remain deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against Ahmadiyya Muslims in Pakistan. We remain concerned about the situation for prisoners in detention under trial in Pakistan, particularly for blasphemy cases.

We regularly raise at a senior level the issue of the blasphemy laws with the authorities in Pakistan. In Pakistan and elsewhere these laws have targeted Muslims and non-Muslims. The UK Government condemns any instance where the content or application of blasphemy legislation encourages or justifies violence or discrimination, or causes a violation of a person's Human Rights. Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised the UK's concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of the Ahmadiyya community with the Pakistan High Commissioner to the UK, Nafees Zakaria, on 12 and 26 May. Most recently, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief in Pakistan by letter with Dr Mazari on 5 June. In addition, The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Christian Turner CMG, met with Dr Mazari and raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief with on 8 June.