Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to the Pakistani Government on behalf of (a) Maira Shahbaz, (b) Arzoo Raja and (c) other girls who have been kidnapped, forcibly converted and married in Pakistan.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We are closely monitoring the cases of Maira Shahbaz and Arzoo Raja. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. On 19 October, the Minister of State for South Asia and Minister responsible for Human Rights, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, raised our concerns about child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari. In addition, Lord Ahmad raised our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief with Dr Mazari on 16 November. The British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner CMG, raised our concerns about the case of Maira Shahbaz with the Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, on 16 November.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what recent representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on the welfare of (a) Maria Shahbaz and (b) Saneha Iqbal reportedly kidnapped and forcibly married and converted to Islam in Pakistan in 2020.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We are closely monitoring Maira Shahbaz and Saneha Kinza Iqbal's cases. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. On 19 October, The Minister for South Asia raised our human rights concerns including child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls, with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari.
UK's Strengthening Rule of Law in Pakistan programme aims to increase public confidence and trust in the Rule of Law. It focuses on delivering outputs that improve the justice system for victims, witnesses and offenders, including vulnerable women and girls.
Asked by: Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist Party - Strangford)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on recommencement the Krishna Hindu temple in Islamabad.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We are closely monitoring the situation regarding the construction of the Shri Krishna Mandir temple in Islamabad. The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination against religious minorities in Pakistan, including against the Hindu community. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief and the protection of minority communities, including the Hindu community, with the Pakistani Government at a senior level. Most recently, the Minister for South Asia, raised these concerns with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 19 October.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to target their Official Development Assistance to Pakistan on methods and programmes that provide effective measures to prevent abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of girls from minorities in Pakistan.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Our Aawaz II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme will spend £39.5 million over 5 years (2018 - 2024) across the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. This will continue to be our main ODA-funded programmatic tool for addressing issues affecting marginalised and vulnerable groups in Pakistan until 2024.
The UK Government strongly condemns child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of all women and girls in Pakistan, including from religious minorities. We regularly raise at a senior level our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality with the Government of Pakistan. Most recently, I raised our concerns about child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls in Pakistan, including from religious minorities, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 19 October.
Asked by: Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what recent representations they have made to the government of Pakistan about the issue of child, early and forced marriage, and in particular where the victims are members of religious minorities who have been abducted, forcibly converted and abused; what UK Aid projects support victims of child, early and forced marriage in Pakistan; and what assistance these projects provide.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK Government strongly condemns child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of all women and girls in Pakistan, including from religious minorities. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality with the government of Pakistan at a senior level. On 27 August, I raised our human rights concerns including Freedom of Religion of Belief with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari. On 8 September, I also raised these concerns with the Governor of Punjab, Chaudhry Muhammad Sarwar, on 8 September.
Our AAWAZ II Accountability, Inclusion and Reducing Modern Slavery Programme will spend £39.5m over 5 years (2018 - 2024) across the Pakistani provinces of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab. As part of AAWAZ II, we support better data and evidence collection on child labour and child marriage; increased access to child protection services; and enhanced access for children to birth registration systems and birth certificates. We are also planning future community engagement on modern slavery.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what steps he is taking with his Pakistani counterpart to ensure that police officers in Pakistan are trained to work (a) effectively and (b) sensitively with the parents of abducted girls from a religious minority.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We are working with the Government of Pakistan to strengthen and improve Pakistan's police and judicial systems. The UK's Strengthening Rule of Law in Pakistan programme aims to increase public confidence and trust in the Rule of Law. It focuses on delivering outputs that improve the justice system for victims, witnesses and offenders, including vulnerable women and girls.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to his Pakistani counterpart on ensuring that criminal cases are registered against individuals who (a) kidnap, (b) forcibly convert and (c) forcibly marry girls from religious minorities.
Answered by Nigel Adams
The UK Government strongly condemns the forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan. We regularly raise our concerns about Freedom of Religion or Belief, women and girls' rights and gender equality with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon last raised our human rights concerns with Pakistan's Minister for Human Rights, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 27 August. On 8 September, Lord Ahmad discussed our concerns regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief with the Governor of Punjab.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what assessment he has made of whether the creation of the National Commission for Minorities in Pakistan has been set up in accordance with the Paris Principles; and what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on the need for those internationally recognised standards to be met.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We welcome the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities. Most recently, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our concerns about human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in a call on 15 July and letter on 27 August. Our High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner CMG, discussed the National Commission for Minorities with Dr Mazari in a meeting on 8 June. We have highlighted to the Government of Pakistan the importance of ensuring the new Commission is established in line with the UN Paris Principles as it begins its important work, specifically focusing on its independence, funding and membership.
In addition, we have consulted civil society organisations working on human rights and religious communities in Pakistan regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, and are also in close discussion with international partners. On 11 August, the British High Commission in Islamabad hosted a virtual roundtable with civil society members and religious community representatives on Freedom of Religion or Belief to mark National Minorities Day in Pakistan.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what representations he has made to (a) his counterparts in the EU and (b) the USA to urge the Government of Pakistan to comply with the international standards, outlined by the Paris Principles, in setting up an effective National Commission for Minorities.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We welcome the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities. Most recently, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon raised our concerns about human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in a call on 15 July and letter on 27 August. Our High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner CMG, discussed the National Commission for Minorities with Dr Mazari in a meeting on 8 June. We have highlighted to the Government of Pakistan the importance of ensuring the new Commission is established in line with the UN Paris Principles as it begins its important work, specifically focusing on its independence, funding and membership.
In addition, we have consulted civil society organisations working on human rights and religious communities in Pakistan regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, and are also in close discussion with international partners. On 11 August, the British High Commission in Islamabad hosted a virtual roundtable with civil society members and religious community representatives on Freedom of Religion or Belief to mark National Minorities Day in Pakistan.
Asked by: Stephen Kinnock (Labour - Aberavon)
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 (a) civil society or (b) human rights organisations working in Pakistan to seek their views about the effectiveness of the National Commission for Minorities.
Answered by Nigel Adams
We welcome the establishment of the National Commission for Minorities. Most recently, Minister for South Asia and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, raised our concerns about human rights, including Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, with Pakistan's Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, in a call on 15 July and letter on 27 August. Our High Commissioner to Pakistan, Dr Christian Turner CMG, discussed the National Commission for Minorities with Dr Mazari in a meeting on 8 June. We have highlighted to the Government of Pakistan the importance of ensuring the new Commission is established in line with the UN Paris Principles as it begins its important work, specifically focusing on its independence, funding and membership.
In addition, we have consulted civil society organisations working on human rights and religious communities in Pakistan regarding Freedom of Religion or Belief and the National Commission for Minorities, and are also in close discussion with international partners. On 11 August, the British High Commission in Islamabad hosted a virtual roundtable with civil society members and religious community representatives on Freedom of Religion or Belief to mark National Minorities Day in Pakistan.