§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent killings of Christians in Pakistan. [11788]
§ Mr. BradshawWe condemn the attack on a church in Punjab on 28 October in which 18 people were killed. We welcome General Musharraf's assurances that the perpetrators of this heinous act will be brought to justice.
Our thoughts are with the victims and their families and with all those who have suffered at the hands of terrorists.
§ Mr. DrewTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Pakistani Government with regard to human rights abuses against Christians. [11789]
§ Mr. BradshawWe take the issue of religious freedom in Pakistan very seriously. We continue to raise the position of religious minorities in general and a number of individual cases with the Pakistani authorities, both bilaterally and in concert with our EU partners.
We will continue to take every appropriate opportunity to ask the Pakistani authorities to ensure that the rights of all religious minorities in Pakistan, including Christians, are respected under the constitution.