Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, has provided the following answer to your written parliamentary question (HL829):
Question by Lord Alton of Liverpool:
To ask Her Majesty’s Government whether they have raised the attack on an Ahmadi Muslim burial by an armed group in Sheikhupura District in Pakistan with the government of Pakistan; if not, whether they plan to do so; and whether they will place the details of any response in the Library of the House. (HL829)
Tabled on: 08 June 2021
Answer:
Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon:
The UK Government remains deeply concerned by reports of discrimination and violence against religious communities in Pakistan, including against the Ahmadiyya Muslim community. We continue to urge the government of Pakistan at senior levels to guarantee the fundamental rights of all its citizens, regardless of their religion or belief.
As Minister of State for South Asia, I intend to raise our concerns about the persecution of Ahmadi Muslims with senior Pakistani government representatives during my visit to Pakistan this month. This engagement will build on my discussion of recent murders of Ahmadi Muslims with Pakistan’s Special Representative for Religious Harmony, Tahir Ashrafi, on 23 March. The Special Envoy for Freedom of Religion or Belief, Fiona Bruce, also met with the International Human Rights Committee on 12 April in order to understand their concerns about the issues facing the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Pakistan.
Date and time of answer: 23 Jun 2021 at 16:53.
