§ Lord Shore of Stepney asked Her Majesty's Government:
§ What representations they have made to the Government of Pakistan about the imprisonment of the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif; and what progress Commonwealth Ministers have made in agreeing with the present authorities in Pakistan a timetable for the restoration of democracy. [HL4590]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Scotland of Asthal)While we believe the trial of Nawaz Sharif to have been transparent and fair, we continue to have serious concerns about the judicial climate in which it was held. We have raised with the Pakistani authorities our concerns about the condition in which some detained politicians are held and the fact that some have still yet to be charged.
Ministers of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group (CMAG), including my right honourable friend the Foreign Secretary, met the Pakistani Foreign Minister in New York on 15 September. They reiterated their call, first made in the aftermath of the coup, for the restoration of democracy and for a clear and credible timetable for achieving this. Regrettably, the Pakistani Foreign Minister was unable to provide satisfactory assurances on these issues. In the continued absence of such a timetable, CMAG will need to consider at its next meeting all options, including the possibility of further measures to be taken against Pakistan.