UK responds to Arzoo Raja and her abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage in Pakistan and says it has raised these cases with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari
Question by Lord Alto of Liverpool :
To ask Her Majesty’s Government what discussions they have had with the government of Pakistan about the case of Arzoo Raja and her abduction, forced conversion and forced marriage. (HL9612)
Tabled on: 27 October 2020
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
We are monitoring Arzoo Raja’s case. The UK Government strongly condemns child, early and forced marriage and the forced conversion of 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’ with the Government of Pakistan at a senior level. Most recently, I raised our concerns about child, early and forced marriage and forced conversion of women and girls with Pakistan’s Human Rights Minister, Dr Shireen Mazari, on 19 October.
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL9611):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government when they last discussed reports of abductions, forced conversions and forced marriages of women and girls from religious minorities in Pakistan with the government of Pakistan; and what was the outcome of those discussions. (HL9611)
Tabled on: 27 October 2020
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
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 at a senior level. 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. Date and time of answer: 09 Nov 2020 at 15:23
