Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of Opinion No. 22/2024 concerning Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi (Pakistan) adopted by the United Nations' Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on 18 June 2024; what assessment they have made of the use of detention against opposition figures, journalists and civilians in Pakistan; and what representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about detentions.

I thank the Noble Lord for his series of related questions submitted from 6-11 February.

As I said in responding to Baroness Alexander of Clevenden in the House of Lords on 25 February, the UK Government consistently urges the Pakistani authorities to act in line with their international obligations and respect fundamental freedoms and human rights. The former Foreign Secretary raised these issues on his visit last May.

We will continue to urge our Pakistani counterparts to protect the rights of all people in Pakistan, including protesters and detainees, in accordance with its constitution and international standards.

We continuously examine all levers at our disposal to deliver for UK interests. Pakistan is an indispensable partner in keeping the UK safe from irregular migration, terror threats and organised crime, and some of the technical assistance we provide through UK ODA is integral to these efforts.

In relation to Imran Khan and his family members, I refer the Noble Lord to the answer provided on 4 December 2025 in response to Question HL12453.